Thursday, October 23, 2008

A Challenge

"You've got to think outside the box!!" says my husband, the master of outside the box thinking. "Outside what box?", I think to myself. To say I've been conflicted lately would be an understatement. Though I don't know that conflicted is really the right word. Perhaps worn out, tired and all around bored would be more accurate.

It is interesting to me how we can go about our lives, which are traditionally boring and the same every day, and be completely happy for a long time. Then, out of nowhere, we get restless, bored or maybe even conflicted. Not that my life, or yours, isn't great, though lackluster, but more that something different would be good. Being a stay at home mom is a thankless, tedious, boring job. But at the same time I love it. Do you see confliction here? I think most moms, or heck every human being, feels the same confliction from time to time. I mean in reality, life is kind of boring.

And so, after a long discussion with my husband, he challenged me to do different things with my day. To think outside the box. No matter that he is speaking to the queen of being smack in the middle of the box, he wants to challenge me so that I'll challenge myself. Not a bad idea, though I have a feeling that my idea of outside the box is a bit more inside the box than he'd have in mind! So for my first change, instead of running today, I'm going to swim. Not exciting, I know. But it is different.

His other challenge for me was to find something fun every day to look forward to. I'm a big reader, but as of late, reading doesn't hold the same escape. It's been tedious, like the laundry. So I'm taking a break from reading and on the search for a new hobby. Not that I have time for an actual hobby, but just something different.

And so, I extend the same challenges to you. Do something different today, find something to look forward to that is just for yourself! It's hard, when we give of ourselves constantly and dedicate our lives to our children's activities and education, to remember ourselves. But do it anyway!!

1 comment:

Susan said...

What a sweet man. It's hard to stay interested in life all the time. It is good advice and I'm glad you're taking it.