My First World Challenge

Lets just say that adjusting to being back in the US has been a bit harder than I imagined. I decided with the NEW YEAR and with a life that needs a little prioritizing, I myself would take my very own first world challenge.  As you know, there are not challenges in the first world- I have lived in the third world- there are NO challenges here. Well, not for a "normal" middle class family anyway. I am trying to make this a little funny friends, so do know that I understand when I vent about silly crap- it is just venting and I am quite aware of the REAL problems going on in the world. No judgements! :)


I for one just miss my wonderful housekeeper. Ha




At $150 a month, plus some medical bills, $2 hour babysitting, as well as a second family we cared for without hesitation- I had full time help.  It was wonderful and I took it for granted. Yes, I have first world challenges.  Ha Ha


How on earth can one person be a housekeeper, a mom, a wife, a chef, an event planner, an organizing genius, a tutor and an accountant working from the same place 24 hours a day and still have time for themselves?  Then I remembered...duh, people do it all the time, everywhere around the world. And yes, I am truly just in my very first - REVERSE CULTURE SHOCK and need some serious help!! Yes, I need help figuring out how to function in the first world.  Poor me, I know, poor me. Ha!




All joking aside, I wanted something to be different, I wanted the new year to be different for us, I wanted to make some changes.  We were finally settled in the house- pretty much. Tom is still working like crazy doing his training and we are all making it work.  We are well, we are safe, we are happy and healthy. There is not much more you can ask for in life. I am thankful for this every single day.




In life, I realize too that no one can put pressure on yourself...but yourself, and we are the worst critics.  I AM THE WORST CRITIC!  My house is never clean enough, I am never organized enough, and why on earth can't I be that perfect Mom?...the list goes on. But it is too much- it is so silly and you know what, I have had enough of criticizing myself!!




I finally cooked today for the first time - it was FABULOUS. I didn't make anything fancy and I only used the leftovers I had in the my refrigerator.  I cut up grilled chicken and breaded it for the kids for dinner- its in the oven now. I stuffed peppers with left over quinoa mixed with tubelah - awesome by the way if you have not tried it, and they just got out of the oven too.  Oh yeah, do not forget to add a  little mozzarella on top. :) And while I cooked and prepared some things for the week... I realized I CAN do this.  It is not hard, and all that took was just under an hour- to prepare, mix and bake and I am also making some tortilla soup! YUM!  It just took a little bit of planning.




While sitting in my new kitchen, in this happy place - where I was not interrupted because the kids are in a coma from being out of school FOREVER due to weather, I thought- I should truly challenge myself.  A daily challenge...TO GET THINGS DONE! Some of you could probably care less, but some of you too may be inspired- and I love it! We all need inspiration, a little kick in the butt, or a shoulder to pat.  It is not easy but a new year is a great time to try...and today is my day!




Now let me back track just a minute. I am a writer you know- or an aspiring one at least, I am eager to write my children's books and even a novel- but the time management has been seriously lagging. I still have to be the chef, the tutor, the housekeeper, the mom and the wife...remember? :)   I wrote about my time management problems in, Half A Day!  But this is all OK. With my new challenge I have put upon myself, (imagine that- a challenge upon myself). You see there are some seriously issues here. ha ha  I will try and manage the day better, be more efficient and finally make that time to do my writing. Because this is what all of this comes down to, making time for me.  It is hard for any of us to find time for ourselves, but it is important. And when I figure out how to manage the day better, everything else will naturally fall into place.  Join me in this challenge, learn from my mistakes, but most importantly ... please figure out a way to make time for yourself!


First Thing To do: Make a time line for the day!


A detailed per hour or every 30 minutes time line from the minute the kids get up (or before), to the time they go to bed.  My first goal- get up 45 minutes before the kids get up and work out! This means 5:45 am! I know, I am stretching it.  It IS crazy! The thing I realized though is that if I wait until the day has started, I make excuses and guess what?  I am not making excuses this time!  No More!!