Balance.
I can balance my eating. I can balance my activity levels. But balancing life, that’s long been a struggle.
For the past six years my family has been segregated due to school. This was largely in part because I couldn’t find a balance between school and pretty much anything else.
For six years I was often stuck at home studying for exams, or labouring over lab reports, or cursing the world of stats, while my husband and son were out adventuring:
- Cycling the trails
- Tobogganing down snow-packed hills
- Sightseeing on the Sea-to-Sky gondola
- Taste testing various cafés for the best hot chocolates and ice creams
I always got pictures of their adventures. I loved those picture interruptions, but a huge part of me longed to be out there with them.
Soon, I will be 😀
I have less than 3 weeks left of my internship to go.
I have a job lined up 1 week after internship ends (oh yes, for those who don’t follow me on social media, I’m totally going to be gainfully employed once again!!!).
And I’ve started to navigate goals – both employment and life goals.
One of the BIG goals I’ve set is incorporating more family time into our lives. I’m not talking just me and my son time, or me and my husband time, or my husband and our son time, all of which are super important, and will continue. But I’m talking the three of us time.
This has been lacking.
This is so important to me. I feel like I’ve missed out on so much of that quality family time and I don’t want to miss out on it anymore.
I’ve already started achieving that goal!
This weekend the three of us hopped a ferry to Bowen Island; none of us had been previously.
It was such a lovely, and cost-friendly, day trip.
We navigated the quaint neighbourhoods, climbed a bunch of hills from one neighbourhood to another, appreciated the outdoor art, searched for seashells along the waterfront, counted the age of felled trees, hiked Dorman Point, a family friendly hike that allowed us a spectacular view of the coastline, and puckered our faces at the tartness of hidden crab apples.
The total ferry cost for our family was $25; this included both out and back trips.
The only other cost we had was lunch. It was a significant cost and next time I’ll definitely think ahead and pack sandwiches, or a baguette with cheeses, deli meats, fruits and veg to nosh on, maybe even a bottle of wine.
Because, that’s what we do ?
I know once I start transitioning into this next phase of my life, where I’ll be working as a casual dietitian and setting up my own private practice, while at the same time studying for the registered dietitian exam, it’ll be easy to go back to my lack of balance ways.
But this is a promise to myself, and to my family, and to my friends that I’m going to try with every ounce of energy I have to not do so.
Scheduling days like this should help.
Agree 100%!
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