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“Do you want to go anywhere tomorrow?”
The Husband looked at me and answered, “Not really. I need to relax.”
He knew this meant missing out on visiting a national treasure in the United States (we wouldn’t be coming back). And this is a place I had wanted to see since I was about 10 years old.
But I understood. And I agreed.
‘Wants’ aren’t always worth the angst
We were halfway through a grueling 2,600-mile cross-country trip. It had already thrown distress and dangerous highway issues at us. Instead of Ron flying directly to a project site, we drove so we could spend time together and see things along the way.
Tomorrow morning, my hubby would begin a detailed technical project for an airline. He manages ‘C Checks’ and other complicated assignments dealing with heavy jets (the aircraft you ride to see your favorite aunt for Thanksgiving or Christmas).
With the stress so far, plus the frenetic pace of the area where we would live for almost a month, I understood Ron’s need to relax.
Even with the highway congestion, aggressive drivers cut in and out of traffic at 75-ish mph. IN TOWN. We had narrowly escaped several accidents, and there was no reason to head back out for something optional. It occurred to me:
This was the normal weekday commute, here
Although we had the luxury, these drivers couldn’t stay home simply because they needed some non-overwhelm. I don’t care how much they insist, “Oh, you get used to it.”
Our brains do not get used to it.
Our bodies do not get used to it.
I wondered why so many of these folks stayed in this bad situation (especially those we’d met along the way who vowed to leave as soon as possible).
We wouldn’t be back. But they were stuck.
And now, I ask you:
Is your daily (whatever) worth it?
Starting right now, what can you non-overwhelm in your regular practices?
Where can you add peace and calm to your weekdays?
Saying “No” to unnecessary trips across town? Deciding “Yes” to a job in a better location?
If you’ve read my “Shut it down!” article, you know the peace I’m talking about.
To find it, we sometimes must create it.
Reduce your turmoil
You will be a better person for it. You might even be a healthier person for it! Years ago, I almost (literally) killed myself trying to ‘do it all.’ Please don’t be the former me. Ask yourself: “What can I change in my daily _____ to add even a tiny bit of peace and calm to this week?” (You have some time … it’s only Tuesday!)
Try this little exercise to calm things down
- List three small steps for moving toward the #1 change you need.
- Work on solving the easiest step (goal) first.
- Move to the second easiest item. Accomplish it.
- Tackle item #3. Complete it.
This may not happen as quickly as you’d hoped (it didn’t for me). Days. Weeks. Months. The time it takes is the time it takes.
Your future you is already smiling. 😊 I’m here if you need help working through the ‘how.’
Go for it!
Thanks for stopping by. I planned to work on 2026 blog posts during this trip, but it never occurred to me that the travel would be its own article! I hope getting that out of my system helped you, too. 😎
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Thanks for spending part of your day with me. I know you’re busy, and I appreciate your time. I hope to talk with you soon,
Kathie
Hey, there! I’m Kathie York, the Queen of Non-Overwhelm. My passion is helping you reach peace and calm in work or life. Please take a look at my live, online Goals Accountability Blueprint training and my colorful, budget-friendly ACHIEVE! Goals Toolkit interactive workbook. That second one? It’s an immediate download, and you can use it at 2:00 a.m. in your jammies. 😎
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