I am currently in that phase of life where I wear so many hats and always feel pressed for time. Consequently, I am in that phase of life where I have so.much.guilt.
I work full time. I have two side gigs. I am a wife, daughter, sister, and friend. And now I am a mommy.
Before I had my baby boy a year and a half ago, I didn’t count on having the guilt that I feel when I work long hours. I’ve scoured the internet on everything I can find about balancing mom life and work life to no avail. And I’ll be honest-I would prefer a part-time gig while I manage taking care of a little one too.
But as my husband and I work on our debt snowball (paying off $$$ from graduate degrees), full-time work is where I’m at right now. Enter the guilt…
So when one of my best girlfriends popped this question on me, it brought hesitation: Do you want to go to Florida next weekend for a girl’s trip?!?
A stay-at-home mom of five, she was taking a weekend mental health break for herself. She already has a hotel room reserved. She is flying using her husband’s airline miles, and they have a car booked to get her from the airport to a hotel in Daytona Beach. She wanted me to join her and turn it into a relaxing girlfriend weekend trip. We could share the hotel room, and they had enough points to fly me there, too. All I would have to pay for is food and any of the spa services that I want!
My husband said it was a no brainer: A trip for next to nothing, time with my sweet girlfriend, and a couple of days off work. But my brain thought other things…
Three nights away from my baby. A whole weekend missed with him! I’ll have to leave work early Friday and take off Monday and switch all of those classes to other times…which means more work this week and next. I’ll have to make sure I’m ready for the Tuesday night class I teach before I go, because I’m sure I’ll be too exhausted when I get back Monday night. What about the weekend grocery shopping? I think I’m in the church nursery on Sunday. And then I’ll get back after being gone all weekend missing the baby and then have another busy workweek…
I felt like I shouldn’t go…I couldn’t go. I went back and forth with my husband trying to decide for about 12 hours. So am I going?
Yes.
Because my husband will survive without me…he is also able to do the grocery shopping after all.
Because my baby will survive without me…he’ll be waiting with those kissable cheeks the minute I get back.
Because my job will survive without me…classes will go on, and students will learn.
Because sometimes a mama just needs to wear the girlfriend hat.
So go get that mani/pedi or that massage. Call a girlfriend and check out that new movie you’ve been wanting to see. Or better yet, arrange for a guiltless girl’s trip and don’t think twice about it.
I love this! I love that you’re going, I love that you speak to the guilt that moms and women in general have about self care. Have fun, relax, have experiences that you can pass on and enrich other lives!