It's Up to You: My Perspective on Choices & Time

While having a conversation with a friend about how we spend our time, I realized something about organizing our priorities. She and I were talking about whether she would attend a family event that she really wasn't sure about. I said "you either feel obligated to go, or you want to go". If you figure that out, you'll know the answer as to whether you 'should' go or not.

We all face times when we feel like we 'have' to do something -- our mother encourages it and makes us feel guilty, peer pressure prevails and we give in, or something in our internal dialogue urges us that we can't not do it. Personally, I hate these times -- why do I have to do something out of obligation or something someone else is saying I should? Aren't I an adult who can make her own decisions?

I suppose I am suggesting that there comes a time (maybe it's as I am approaching 40!) when you don't care about doing what you feel obligated to, you just want to go to events that you want to go to. It doesn't matter if you want to spend your whole weekend with your husband and kids. It's your life! You don't have to accept every invitation or gathering. You just don't!

The second part of my thoughts on this topic are: if something is important to us, we'll make time for it. For ex., reading is something I really enjoy. I have 2 kids, a business, a house, et al, but I still read all the time. For another person, they may have a similar situation but use their time to exercise, cook or shop. Who knows -- but they will ultimately make time to do what is important.

If you are not making time for what you want to do, you are essentially making time for other things or other people. If this is the case, again -- it's up to you. You're either part of the problem or part of the solution, I always say! Ok, enough tough love for today.