HELLO 2018….it’s OK!

I think I told you before that it feels like that I get tested on every chapter of my book before I decide to really include it. Our start into 2018 or let’s say the last 4 weeks have been my personal proof that my chapter “It’s OK!” will definitely get a spot in my book.

Not sure if I have never noticed it before because I was so busy myself or even used to do the same thing. This year it seemed like the world around me started the new year with more goals than ever, more life changers, more resolutions and more diets. From personal happiness, high prioritized self-care and possibly record-breaking fitness to very promising business opportunities. Filled with energy, boundless power and ambitious programs, people started this year thinking big.

And there is us. After spending a wonderful New Year’s Eve with friends, amazing food and lots of laughs and love we found ourselves on the couch the next evening. Tea in our hands, heavy heads and a sore throat. We must have caught a cold.

We thought it would go away after a couple days but guess what it got worth It turned into the flu. After being sick for over a week, we had to re-schedule our flights back to the US. This never happened to us before. We had so many plans, so many to do’s and so many things we wanted to get done. But we couldn’t. Our bodies wanted us to stay on the couch, sleep, drink tea and just take it easy.

Back in the US we realized we are still not fit. We felt better, and we could go back to work, but the evenings were slow and short. Work felt hard and draining and there was no new year energy. Going for a run felt impossible and getting the laundry done you could consider a light activity. We were far away from spending a day in the snow or at the coast as we had planned and dreamed of.

Instead we were home. We made vacation plans because we were missing the sun so much. We sorted the paper work because we felt we wanted to be a little bit productive. We scanned our cook books again because we wanted to taste something different than tea and chicken soup. We had people over for coffee instead of going for dinner and watched all the football, Australian Open and Basketball we wanted, too. On top of it, we went through all our closets, sorted old stuff and re-arranged our furniture set-up a little bit.

We learned one more time that it’s okay not to give 150% all the time and that it doesn’t mean that you are less productive. I even think we have been more efficient and sustainable: We have a vacation booked already and we are not too behind on paperwork. It feels like we are organized and structured. Also, we feel rested and balanced.

Some folks might take it for granted but for my husband and me it’s big lesson to learn that we are not running on 200% all the time and have fully booked calendar. The last four weeks were a good reminder to be mindful with our energy and our body. Less is more.

Again, I am thankful that your little precious Lucy also teaches us a lot of those things.We go to bed earlier, because we know she makes us get up earlier. And just in general these little creatures take time and need time. Every day is a little different and you adjust. You learn that IT’s OK! not to have a plan and that you can just spend an afternoon on the couch playing with them, watching them crawl and explore everything that’s around them and it’s fine.

That being said I still have big plans and ambitious goals for this year. I love to work, and I am more than excited for everything to come, but I will for sure try to take it easy from time to time. I want to be less strict with me and let go from time to time. Being aware of the fact that I am still ambitious and self-motivated enough to get done what I want and need to get done, I hope I can say “it’s OK” more often.