It's a Juggle Out There

It's been about four or five months since I created this blog.  And the past few weeks or so, I've been really living up to its title.  It's a juggle out there---for sure!

Let's see.  We're adjusting to a new school schedule for Abby, incorporating a dance class to Saturday mornings and an activity night to Tuesdays.  We've created our Fall Funfest List to suggest and keep track of fun fall activities---our Summer Bucket List was such a hit, we have decided to create one for every season.  We've got birthday parties to attend, apple orchards to visit and let's not forget pulling the fall decor out of the garage and strategically placing (read: set out with minimal effort and not too much care about what goes where considering it'll all be rearranged by my 4yo interior decorator within minutes anyway) around the house.  There are mums to buy, ghosty jars* to make and the last pieces of summer to tuck away (Please no judging me if I put Abby in her adorable bathing suit just one more time before it's put away forever!).  I've got sorting out to do, closets to swap out and cleaning to do (well, maybe not so much.  I've convinced myself that my dust bunnies like it here).

Certainly my list is not comprehensive and it's no longer than any of yours.  Nope.  I'm pretty sure that our days are completely boring to many of you.  And then again, there may be someone reading this who doesn't do all of this in a decade!  I'm not here to compete (heaven knows I don't have time for that!), but to offer a glimpse at the juggle.

Point is, that's only part of the equation.  There's work, too.  Six weeks from today I will be waking up on "the other side" of the Heart Walk.  It's kind of hard to believe...and I'm firmly in the zone of "the walk either needs to be TODAY or 6 months from now."  I feel as if I have, simultaneously, too much time and not nearly enough time in which to accomplish all that needs to be done regarding the Walk.  

Our $1.6M fundraising event will be here and gone in 6 weeks.  Not unlike a wedding, there's tons of prep work mixed with a healthy dose of "hurry up and wait" followed by the rush of event day, a heaping portion of "did I see everyone I needed to see?" culminating in a tear down that happens quickly and somewhat sadly.

Heart Walk season---or as I like to call it, The Sorry Season (because I seem to say that a lot; "Sorry, I got stuck at work late."  "Sorry, I have to be in early; can you get Ab to my Mom's?"  "Sorry, I thought we had x,y or z on hand for dinner."  "Sorry I fell asleep with Abby at 8:30!"  You get the idea!)---brings a hectic pace to an already busy time of year.  There's no slowing down until, really, after the Walk---well after.   

This isn't my first go 'round with this, so I should be used to it.  And I am, I guess.  On one hand, it never gets easier to push through these demanding weeks, the deadlines, the pressures and the meetings (oh the meetings!!).  

And on the other hand, it's easy to keep focused on the reason WHY we do all of this; it's not the event itself (although it is spectacular to see 10,000+ descend on the North Shore in support of a cause so meaningful) and it's not just the funds we raise.  It's what we do with those funds; or, more to the point, it's WHO we help with those funds.

I know, I know, that my friend's son would not be here today without the American Heart Association.  I know that another friend's little boy would have an entirely different story to tell without us.  And that is why I push.  That is why I drive harder and work longer; because I want those happy endings.  I want to celebrate those victories and I want to be part of changing people's lives.

That desire overflows naturally to another outlet; being a Beachbody Coach.  Changing people's lives?  You bet--every single day.  Over a year ago I had my "enough's enough" moment and took a leap of faith.  That leap was beyond worth it.  With the love, support and encouragement of my Coach and fellow Challengers, I was able to focus on myself and make some big changes.  The changes were physical as well as mental, and I began to learn how I could funnel this passion into another income for our family. 

Last year at this time, I was well into my 90 Day transformation while up to my neck in Heart Walk work.  It was a tricky balance---or so I thought.  Last year had nothing on this year.  The balance is all the more precarious this time around, the focus needing to be that much sharper.  This year, I'm challenging myself and Coaching others.  I'm growing my team and helping others become successful Coaches.  I'm managing more companies for the Walk, bearing the weight of lofty goals and even higher expectations.  I think about all that I have on my plate this year that I didn't have last year.

In addition to extra responsibilities, I have additional skills this time around.  Last year?  No blog.  This year?  Blog.  And a better understanding of Blogger, timing, topics and audience.  Last year?  No Coaches.  This year?  I've got eight, and I'm on a course to achieve a ranking I once thought out of reach.  And I've also got a growing confidence to help my Coaches, a knowledge base that's deeper than before and resources a plenty to help them when I can't.

And speaking of resources; here's a task I can't delegate out, no matter how deep my reserves go.  In the midst of all of this, Mark and I will celebrate our 10th anniversary.  That's pretty significant.  And not in a "gotta get/give the perfect gift" kind of way, but more in a "take stock because this man has stood by your side, loving you unconditionally, as your husband, for the past 10 years" kind of way.  I'm not sure there is a gift that's appropriate to express my gratitude and love.  Abby said I have to get him red velvet gobs--apparently that's the traditional 10th anniversary gift.  Who knows?  All I do know is that our anniversary falls 2 weeks before the Walk, meaning I may or may not be the best version of myself by then. And frankly, him still loving and helping me then is gift enough**.

Yes, it's a juggle.  It's a juggle every single day.  And, like most jugglers, from time to time something hits the ground (occasionally some stuff hits the ceiling, too, but let's not go there!).  Last year, I may have caved when that happened.  I may have decided that, since the routine wasn't perfect, there wasn't much sense carrying on.  Not the case this year.  Remember the part about being stronger and smarter?  Yeah, me too.  So when I'm on my umpteenth 'sorry' of the week (and it's only 10:34am on Tuesday!), I take a breath, remind myself of the WHY and forge ahead.  When my new recipe doesn't work out like I planned or my best laid plans are somehow totally tossed aside, I regroup, chalk it up to part of the game and move on.  I don't always get it right; I drop stuff. I miss things. I am harder on myself than necessary.  But I keep trying.  I keep learning and work towards each day being a better--not perfect--me! 

It's a juggle out there....family, and work and wellness.  From its start, this blog has been intended to share pieces of each ring in this three ring circus I call my life.  And at times like these, when they all collide into one big crazy party, I choose (most times!), as I hope you would too, to join in, throw my hands up and sing, dance, laugh and play.  Because I know that as soon as today's juggle ends, the next one starts.

"Most of us have trouble juggling. 
The woman who says she doesn't is someone whom I admire but have never met." 
~Barbara Walters

 
 *More on those cute crafts to come!
**I do, however, respectfully reserve the right to accept any other gift Mark should happen to see fit to bestow upon his lovely bride!