Joy

Give Yourself a Timeout

Jeanna GLeave a comment

When we were kids and did something wrong, we’d get a timeout. “Go sit over there and think about what you did wrong. You can come back when you know how to act right.” Oftentimes I am so busy taking care of other things and people that I forget to take care of myself. Sure I eat and shower and whatnot, but am I also nurturing my social, spiritual, and emotional wellness? Am I taking the time to remember who I am and to honor myself by doing what I truly enjoy?

As a kid, I loved being outside. There was so much to take in, so much to feel and wonder about. My daughter and I went on vacation to a lake house with our friends this past weekend. Together we floated in the lake, warmed by the sun and cooled by the water, talking and laughing, rolling over the wake sent our way by the passing boats. The sky stirred our imaginations as we watched the clouds morph into different shapes, wondered about the low-flying helicopters, pretended to be birdwatchers who knew the difference between an egret and a heron, oohed over the distant fireworks, and were mesmerized by the full moon rising and the way its reflection reached across the water to touch us. We breathed the fresh air and felt a close affinity for the world around us. I played, it made me happy, and now I feel recharged and ready for whatever’s next.

Do you forget who you are sometimes, too? It’s time to be your own wellness coach, so blow the whistle and give yourself a timeout! What do you miss doing? Think about it and then go act right!

To Be Continued…

Jeanna G2 Comments

My daughter and I have been streaming reruns of Who’s the Boss? lately. I love that she loves sitcoms from my childhood; it’s a nice bonding opportunity that I take full advantage of. At the end of one of the seasons, an episode came to the end of its time at a suspenseful moment, and “To Be Continued” appeared on the screen. She inhaled a quick breath and looked at me with wide eyes. A second later she remembered that she just had to click on the ‘next episode’ option, one that didn’t exist when I was growing up, and she was able to find out what would happen next.

Personally, I prefer a cliffhanger. Let me imagine what the future will bring. Let me dream up the possibilities. Suspense is a feeling that has taken a backseat in this world of instant gratification.

I recently changed careers, and the whole process has been a cliffhanger. What am I going to do? How do I do this? How will my life change? What skills do I need to dust off for this, and what new ones will I learn?

At the same time my daughter is entering adolescence like her brakes gave out. What will happen next? How will she change? What will stay the same?

I’m enjoying the suspense, and grateful to know that, while the last chapter came to an end, our story is to be continued…

The Best Mother’s Day Gift

Jeanna G3 Comments

My daughter has been dancing her way through life for as long as I can remember. She jazz walks into a room, pirouettes her way to the mailbox, and slow taps Shirley Temples on repeat while telling me about her day.

This Mother’s Day weekend, my friend is freezing through hours of her son’s hockey tryouts, my sister is silently watching her daughter from the cart path through a combined 36 holes, and I’m fixing hair, makeup, and costumes for my daughter’s dance recital. Together we roll our eyes and ask why these things are planned on Mother’s Day weekend. The nerve! Don’t they know we just want to sleep through a weekend for once?? But we grab our coffees, load the car, and gps our way to whatever our calendar is reminding us to do.

But today I sat in the audience and felt gratitude for two things: 1) That the auditorium was dark as tears streamed down my face, because 2) the joy that radiated from my beautiful daughter shot me straight through the heart. Being with her in that moment is what motherhood is all about. Sure, laundry, taxiing, coaching, feeding, mending, funding, negotiations and acquiescing is the work. Witnessing their joy in being who they truly want to be is the ultimate reward.