I’m a reader. Always have been. It sounds crazy to some, but as an only child, books were among my favorite companions growing up. But right now, I have been trudging through the same book for over two and a half weeks. (I understand this is normal for many, but I typically finish a book within a few days.) It’s boring – and as hard as I’ve tried, I cannot get into the story.
And today, I decided to stop trying. I decided to put the boring book down because life is too short to read boring books.
Our day-to-day grind is hard. We’re all emotionally and mentally fatigued having survived 2020. We’re spread thin. Our souls are exhausted. So, why should the parts of life meant to feed our soul and bring mental, physical, and emotional refreshment be drudgery? (Newsflash – they shouldn’t!)
Life is just too short to waste time trudging through sand when a paved path is available. Can we get out of every unpleasant task, duty, or relationship? No – and part of growth is learning to work through difficulty. There will always be toilets to clean, difficult people to love, and work obligations we’d rather skip.
But life is just too short to read the boring book. To make yourself choke down kale when you think it tastes like burnt hair. To spend time pursuing a hobby to “fit in.” To deny yourself 20 minutes of alone time to take a walk or a cat-nap because we think skipping that time will make us a “better” wife/mother/person. (That way of thinking is malarkey in case you didn’t pick up on that.) š
We are better when we make time to actually ENJOY this short but beautiful life we’ve been given. As women, so many of us are hard-wired to give. And we give and give of ourselves until our cup has run so dry it’s brittle and breaking.
So we have to learn to prioritize fun, play, and rest – and actually do the things that bring us joy. (Especially instead of things we think we should be doing.) We have to recognize that we cannot pour from empty cups and accept that some things fill our cup more than others.
None of us have a lot of time to spare. So we have to make the most of the little time we do have, and do the things that refresh our bodies, minds, and souls. There just isn’t time to waste on pursuits that feel like work. (Rest isn’t supposed to feel like work!) So put down the boring book and go out and ENJOY your life.
