Life Lately: March 2023
Family Fun at the Worcester Public Market.
I have always struggled a bit with March. In January, I turn inward, spending an outsized amount of time doing yoga, meditating, and contemplating the year ahead. February is filled with celebrations and school vacation. And then, there is March. It’s not quite spring, though I appreciate the few warm days - and it’s not quite winter, with cozy fireplace evenings. To me, it’s a “bridge month” and it always feels extra long. This year I have tried to be as present as possible throughout the month, and still, I have found it challenging to do so.
It’s felt even more challenging, given my “big hard thing” that I’ve been alluding to. And I’m ready to share. Next month, I’ll be having major hip surgery. I’ve known for some time that I would need to have it this surgery eventually, but until last month, I did not expect it to be so soon. And for much of March, I was waiting for the date to be confirmed. Sitting with the unknown is hard.
When I finally received the date, I was relieved - and, I was thrown into a whole new mindset shift. My first hip surgery was in 2016, so I’m not a stranger to the concept; but this one is more invasive and an equally challenging recovery (this ain’t your grandma’s hip replacement). It’s hard to imagine “tapping out” on my normal for much of the next six months and beyond. I work to hold on to perspective - I am so very lucky to have access to the treatment I need, a network that I can lean on, and my overall health. We can hold perspective and struggle through things at the same time. That’s where growth happens, and that’s life.
So, let’s get back to March. The month started with the gift of new friendship and a dinner party, which was a reminder of how precious and important it is to prioritize building new relationships as you get older. We had several playdates, a super fun birthday party, family time with cousins and grandparents, and a date night out. It was a particularly busy month at work, I worked with several 1:1 coaching clients, led another meaningful moms group discussion, took over the Central Mass Mom Instagram for a day, and led a workshop on mindset with a really cool company for Women’s History Month. So while I continuously practiced patience, trust, and presence - I certainly tried to make meaning along the way.
Watching/Reading/Listening: I read The Villa and The House in the Pines, which was creepy and had cool local MA vibes. I wrapped up Season 4 of You and Season 1 of The Last of Us, watched Murdaugh Murders on Netflix, and binge listened to The Deck Investigates.
Doing It “All” I have always been super organized, and spend a lot of time building systems that allow me to be more efficient and effective. This month, I wrote two articles on Central Mass Mom on the topic: How I Stay Organized as a Working Mom and My Top Tips for Decluttering & Organizing Your Home. One of the most common questions I get, is how I do it “all”. I could write a whole article - or ten - on this topic, but I’ll share this. “All” means something different to everyone. I am super clear on making space for the things that are important to ME, and I work hard to not compare my “all” to someone else’s. I also recently heard a fellow coach say this, and I couldn’t help but laugh given the resonance. She said, “I do it all, tired.” Ain’t that the truth.
101 in 1001: Progress on this front is sloooow. I’m balancing wanting to do absolutely everything on this list before my surgery (ha! impossible!) with the reality that my life will slow down significantly for much of the next year. Still, I am going to continue to prioritize what I can, and work on the broader lesson that’s at play. Letting go.
