This year has been a year of lessons – at least for me. Stop saying “no” to experiences. Procrastination is no way to live. Prepare for tomorrow without losing the moments we have today.
Eric and I are learning to live in forward motion. Various experiences have shown us that a lifestyle of procrastination leads to frustration and heart break. We have kept a mental to do list for years, but taken few steps to complete the tasks. Slowly but surely God is compelling us to release the emergency break and drive. Tomorrow is never promised.
Nothing has driven this point home to me more than losing a loved one. Suddenly, little stressors did not seem as important. Family seemed important. Faith seemed important. Preparing for the future seemed important, and living in the moment seemed more important than ever. We should be wise about tomorrow, but all we have right now is today. We should not become so engrossed in the future that we forget to live in the present.
Celebrate Stay Home Because You are Well Day!
So, in the spirit of living in the present, let us celebrate Stay Home Because You Are Well Day! We tend to save our vacation days for a specific trip or in case we need to call in sick to work. It is a blessing indeed to have time off for vacation and to sleep off a cold, but do we have to spend every “free” day either travelling or recovering? Can we celebrate the time we have by simply taking a day off to be with loved ones?
With this holiday comes the need for wisdom. ~smile~ If you are an accountant, it is probably less than ideal to call in “well” in the heat of tax season. Seven-thirty on a Monday morning is probably not the best time for a second grade teacher to decide, “Nah, I think I will stay home today.” You know your boss and you know the circumstances surrounding your work. If you do not have the kind of job that can “rest” while you rest, plan ahead so no one is left in a lurch; and, if you have a job that will be waiting for you when you return, consider setting aside a few vacation days a year to call in well.
Please understand – I am an advocate for living up to your word and putting in a good day’s effort. I do not believe in ditching work whenever the mood strikes. However, years pass quickly. We look back in amazement at all the time we spent not enjoying our good health – not taking advantage of the time we had with those we love.
Plan Ahead
If the thought of calling in to work simply because you need a mental health day stresses you out, plan your just because days in advance. Perhaps coordinate your random days off with your sweetie so you can take a day trip somewhere or just enjoy a leisurely stroll around town.
If you live for spontaneity, just make sure your boss appreciates spontaneity too. ~wink~
Stop Waiting and Start Living
If this year has taught me one lasting lesson, this is it – stop waiting and start living. What does that statement signify for you? Does it mean, “Stop waiting and go after that dream job”? Does it mean, “Get off the couch and go to some social functions”? Maybe you have estranged loved ones and you know you should reach out. Whatever it is you have been putting off, now is the time to kick the door down and go after it.
Maybe you have been pushing too hard and need to slow down and live. If this is you, please plan some call in well days to prevent burn out and regret. When I think about my 20s, I see so much wasted time and potential. I refuse to live my 30s the same way. We have today. Let us make the most of today. Let us love who we need to love. Let us conquer what we need to conquer.
It may be too late to call in well today, but you can plan a just because I want to live life to the fullest vacation day very soon.
Stop waiting. Start living. And Call in Well every now and then.
Are you waiting to live or enjoying life right now?