Behind Schedule

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I had a conversation with another woman today about schedules. She had commented about how she feels like she’s not on schedule with her life, even though she knows she shouldn’t feel that way. It can be hard not to feel this way with all the shit the media and society throw at us. In fact, it can be easy to feel this way when we feel our lives have veered off course, when we feel we have failed (i.e. relationship, career). The external definitions of success paint a picture of a spouse, family, career, home. But that is not everyone’s internal definition of success, which is what matters.

News flash! There is no single timeline for your life to follow. There are no set guidelines or milestones that you must hit in order to live a happy, fulfilling or successful life, except for the ones you set for yourself. And even then they may shift due to what unfolds in your life.

When I was in Santa Fe for my birthday this year, I met a woman in her sixties who has never been married. Failure? Way off schedule? Hell no! She was so bubbly and happy, and shared how she loves her life and freedom. She has met amazing men but has never wanted to marry anyone.

Another woman I knew didn’t have her first child until her early 40s, and she ended up with twins. She then had her third child a couple of years later. Behind schedule? Definitely not. She loved her career, met her husband later in her life, and started a family when it worked for them. That is success if you ask me—carving out your own path and timeline that works for you.

So despite what those around you are doing with their lives, despite what appears on the outside to be a successful life, look within to connect with what a happy, fulfilling, successful life looks like for you. It will be different from others and that is perfectly okay. It is also okay to feel like your life is off track or to feel like you may be behind schedule. Just don’t sit in that shitty thinking for long. Check in and be honest with yourself about what you truly want. Acknowledge that you may have experienced a setback for the path you were on and that a new path is now being charted bringing with it exciting new possibilities.

Know that your life is not behind some predetermined schedule. Your life is not completely messed up or ruined because something didn’t work out according to your original plans. Things change. You grow. Life evolves. Cut yourself some slack and give yourself some love by reminding yourself that you are doing your best and things will work out.

LYF 💖

REFLECTION: What does a happy, fulfilling, successful life look like for you?

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40 Weeks of Inspiration Starts Next Week!

Get ready! Grab your journal, favorite writing instrument, candle and soothing playlists and get ready to do a deeper dive to better connect with you.

For 40 weeks beginning on September 12th, a new post will be published under the 40 Weeks of Inspiration section. A link to each week’s post will be included in the regular weekly newsletter.

Gift yourself with quiet time each week to reflect on what was shared and feel free to share your comments in the posts that resonate with you most.

Happy journaling.