Thirty-Nine and Fifty-Two

“Daring to set boundaries is about having the courage to love ourselves even when we risk disappointing others.”

Brene Brown

Song: Pursuit of Happiness by Lissie

Article: The Brain Loves A Challenge. Here’s Why. by Richard Sima

Thought: This is post 52. One year of blog posts. I didn’t know what to expect when I started blogging other than I was hoping someone would read it and I’d become a better writer. Thank you to everyone who has read, commented, and mentioned it – it means the world. This journey isn’t ending because I’ve got a lot more to say. I hope you stay with me.

This week is WEFTEC; the largest conference in the water industry. I can’t wait to see all of my friends and hear about their new ideas and tech. After this weekend, I will not have a formal leadership role in the organization for the time in almost 10 years. It feels a bit surreal. I’m happy I can take a break because it means there are many more leaders ready to take my place. I’m honored for the trust people put in me to lead; I’m proud of the legacy I am leaving. I’m grateful for those who are now stepping up to making this the organization they want. It takes a lot of courage to lead – so be courageous.

Today also happens to be my 39th birthday. Another surreal feeling. I’m not that worried about leaving my 30’s but I do think this decade was a beating. I am hopeful it set me up for a joyful 40’s. With one year left, I’ve got a few goals I want to reach:

• Bench press 200 lbs. This goal may seem a bit vain but I know the kinds of activities it will take to get there. I want those activities to be more a part of my life as I get stronger. So the 200 lbs will just be the signpost of all the work.
• Get off Lexapro. Working with my doctors, I want to get off my anxiety medication. There’s nothing wrong with medication and getting the help you need. I want to work towards the other tools I have so that I no longer need that one.
• Say “no” more. To protect my time and energy for the things I really care about I need to learn “no.” I’m terrible at it and seem to take one thing off only to add two. Saying “no” is saying “yes” to my physical and mental health, Judah and myself.
• Take breaks. I stupidly thought having 150 hours of PTO was a good thing. It was not. I’m not doing that again. I’m going to use it like the benefit it is and take time off more frequently. More breaks equals less burnout. It’s not about the hours worked, its about the quality of those hours; however, I feel differently about time off – it is about the hours spent away that are meaningful.