I work at a nonprofit directing employee engagement efforts, which means things can shift from the regular schedule frequently. After coming back from an extended holiday break last week, this was the case. On Friday afternoon, I found myself with a lot of unchecked items and planned to do a little work on Saturday evening so I wouldn’t get behind.
Saturday evening was going as planned—had dinner with the family, got the kids bathed, and they fell asleep in record time. I chatted with my husband for a few minutes then got to the computer.
I looked over at the floor and saw my flute. I had played in middle school and high school. Over the years, I would take the flute out, play a bit, then put it back in the closet. For 2024, I wanted to play the flute because it brings me joy. More specifically, I wanted to learn to play the Boondocks theme song—a random and fun goal.
At that moment, I prioritized my joy. I took a look at my to-do list and realized that nothing was time-sensitive. While it would be nice to catch up or get ahead, it wasn’t necessary. One thing I decided to release in 2024 was overworking or going above and beyond at work. This doesn’t mean that I don’t do great work (I am an amazing leader and have the receipts to back it up). It means that I do what is my responsibility, give myself enough time to complete tasks, and don’t let this job consume me as I have done in the past.
For 30 minutes, I practiced and hit out-of-tune notes. It felt good y’all. After I finished, I watched some TV and went to bed. Knowing when to let it go vs. always trying to get everything done—this is my new metric of success.
Today, I got up early and organized that checklist. It doesn’t seem as overwhelming and I have a plan to get it done.
Make some space for something you want to do this week in between meetings, deliverables, and the demands of leadership. Detach from the feeling of urgency (which can make things feel like they are urgent when they aren’t). Keep choosing joy over and over again.
Sincerely,
Kandice
P.S. I will be using this space below- to share things that are bringing me joy. I encourage you to share so that I can feature it in upcoming newsletters.
#JoyfulChronicles: Reading “This Here Flesh” by Cole Arthur Riley has been soul-stirring and affirming. Buy a copy or check it out at your local library. There are so many quotes, but this is one of my favorites: “ I think awe is an exercise, both a doing and being. It is a spiritual muscle of our humanity that we can only keep from atrophying if we exercise it habitually.”
K. Cole Wellness is helping women leaders practice joyful self-care.
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