Do you ever feel like you are disappearing in the random pebbles and stones of your daily life? Like your life has been affixed with a label that characterizes the million miniscule tasks and chores performed each day, a label that fails to take into account the essence of the authentic you?
Regardless of our unique lifestyle or situation, we all run the risk of disappearing into our own life – our daily life, that is. Our monotonous, chore-filled, responsibility-laden, sometimes boring, often stress-filled, life.
Maybe you are a stay-at-home-parent bogged down with diapers, sick kids, soccer practices, school pick-ups and drop-offs, and playdates. Or perhaps you are an overworked employee who is frenzied by meetings, deadlines, telephone conferences, overwhelming email traffic, and long commutes; or you are a laid-off professional disgruntled by job postings, resume submissions, interviews, and financial concerns.
Regardless of the daily chores that occupy the majority of our time, we must remember that our lives do not lie in those tasks, but rather our lives lie in what we bring to those tasks.
As parents, we must remember that our children are a huge part of our lives, but they are not actually our life. They have their own life and we have ours – with our own jumbled mess of hopes, dreams, fears, likes, dislikes, goals, insecurities, and doubts. Similarly, as employees, we must remember that our job is a series of tasks and activities, but it is only in how we carry out those tasks and activities that our life can emerge.
By labeling ourselves according to the chores and jobs that currently fill the majority of our time, we run the risk of disappearing in our own lives. And once those chores and tasks change – as they most certainly will (children grow and jobs change) – where will that leave us, having disappeared into a life that no longer exists?
Each day we must ask ourselves: Am I going to be consumed by the monotony and ins-and-outs of daily life? Or am I going to allow the real me to infiltrate every aspect of my life so that even routine chores and burdensome tasks include my own personal imprint, a little piece of my unique flair?
It is important to stay to true to ourselves by incorporating our own personal panache into everything we do. Turn the radio up while chauffeuring kids around town and sing along to your favorite songs. Teach your kids the fine art of chair dancing while you’re at it. Joke with your colleagues. Talk about yourself, instead of just deadlines and client expectations. Write with a green pen, instead of black. Meditate, write in a journal, or make a scrapbook of you.
Do not forget who you really are and what goals and dreams lay inside of you, even if they may be laying dormant for the time being. There is a time and season for everything and, although your daily obligations may not now allow the time for salsa dancing, violin lessons, writing a novel, or learning to play chess, alas, there will come a time. Write those dreams down, share them with others, and stay true to your aspirations even if they don’t fit into your current lifestyle.
After all, are you going to disappear into your own life? Or are you going to create it?
This is the final installment of the week-long Photo Inspiration Challenge. Extra special thanks to Angie McMonigal for her kick ass photos. If the photos in these blog posts haven’t already convinced you of her awesome talent, check out her website and Facebook page for further proof.
I hope that you have enjoyed reading these posts as much as I have enjoyed writing them. If so, please let me know. Or better yet, follow my blog. If not, you probably haven’t even read this far, so that request really doesn’t matter. Much love, Christie
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49 Comments
Excellent thoughts. Been stuck in neutral at work for various reasons over the last couple of days. Seems like I’m ready to put it into first now.
Thanks, Eric! Good luck getting our of neutral.
Am I disappearing? Or, did I disappear already?
Ha! You are most certainly NOT disappearing. You couldn’t even if you tried 🙂 Now go get on that sailboat and enjoy St. Thomas!
Thought provoking–combination picture/article was great! You two gals aure haven’t “disappeared” with retaining your friendship!
What a lovely reminder – I get easily caught up in my daily tasks. Sometimes it’s not as easy as it seems to check back in with Me.
Thanks for commenting. I’m glad I found you. You have such an entertaining blog. In fact, I just clicked “follow!”
What a really good reminder – really.
I’m going to write with a GREEN pen tomorrow, not a black one. In more ways than one. Thanks.
Thanks! I’ve got a secret stash of purple pens when I need to add a little zest to my day. It works wonders on several fronts.
Perfect! This post just reminded me to slow down in the middle of this hectic week. Thanks, Christine.
Thank you for the lovely comment. I think I need to take my own advice from time to time, especially this week with the kids home from school on spring break.
Hmmm…this gave me something to think about! I don’t know if I’m disappearing into my own life – I certainly hope not!
I really like this and can totally identify. I think it’s easy for me to get bogged down and then get really unhappy because of it. This is a great reminder, meditation and having a journal are awesome! And you are right, kids grow up and things are constantly changing. Great post!
I do believe it’s easy to get wrapped up in everything letting ourselves go in the process. That was part of my New Year’s resolution this year, to put me on the list. Great reminder!
Like the thought of using different colored pens. Off to buy myself some for work.
Very thought provoking. Thanks.
Thanks! Just checked out your blog. Good stuff – I’m now following 🙂
Thanks. 🙂
WOW!!! That was such a meaningful piece. Not only did you tells us about how being stuck in parts of daily life, you also told us the importance of not and more importantly what we can do to change it. It is important to be true to us. Its important to our relationships and important to our kids. Thank you for the reminder! -LV
Thank you!!! I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
Oh boy can I relate to this. With 3 little boys under 5, it is so easy to get lost in the care taking. Making that time to still be ME in the midst of it all is so important. Thank you for the reminder!
You’re welcome! 🙂 And thank YOU for reading the post and leaving a comment. I love the dialogue created by the comments.
i love the idea of writing your dreams down and sharing them with others to keep them close – it’s so easy to get buried in being a mom that i forget i have my own dreams. great post, really thoughtful!!
Thank you!
Thanks for writing this and linking up. I felt like this was about me. When I go long periods without seeing people and they ask me “what have you been up to?” It’s always the same answer. “Oh, nothing. Work. Keeping up my house. Same old thing.” Thanks for reminding me that the mundane tasks of each day don’t define my life.
Thank you! I read your latest post and, for what it’s worth, continue to comment away!
I am going to create it! Thanks, that was needed.
Thanks for the reminder….if we aren’t careful, all of those little stones can roll into one big boulder….big boulders are NOT good :).
Wow – thanks for this reminder. You hit the nail on the head with how hard it is to be autonomous when you are filling so many other roles for so many other people. And also how important it is to make that effort. I, for one, really need to work on that and I’m glad I read this post today.
Thanks. I’m glad you read it too…and that you commented. I just loooove comments.
Amen to that. I spent a great part of the last couple of months completely bogged down in my daily SAHM routine and found myself turning into a recluse. I had to rip myself away from my sweatpants and dishwasher and get a LIFE again, even if it just meant getting dressed up to do chores.
Excellent statement piece.
Thank you! But sweatpants can be so darn addictive!!!
Everything you wrote here – is the reason why I have a blog and continue to write. It’s the one thing that’s MINE, although at times, my writing gets bogged down by daily life. But I try to carve out the time for me, it’s my sanity saver!
Such a great reminder. It’s so hard to fit it all in, but we have to try or we do get lost.
Your post is absolutely inspiring. I think I have the desire to write out my dreams now. Thank you for linking this up with Yeah Write so I could read and be inspired by this!
Thank you for reading and for your kind words. You made my day!
Thanks for this…pinning on my “inspiration” board. Insightful reminder.
Wow – thank you!
Thank you for such an important reminder. We must LIVE our lives.
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Fantastic photo! I love found art. I especially loved this:
“By labeling ourselves according to the chores and jobs that currently fill the majority of our time, we run the risk of disappearing in our own lives. And once those chores and tasks change – as they most certainly will (children grow and jobs change) – where will that leave us, having disappeared into a life that no longer exists?”
It’s so true. Be true to who you are, not what you do. I’m still struggling with redefining myself! Thanks for the boost!
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