Hi ,
Ten years ago, life for me was wildly different...no kid, no dog, living in Australia, working for a chiropractor to supplement my coaching income as I got my business started...
But the one thing that wasn't different was my tendency to overbook "fun" activities and social events. My partner was working as a geologist and was on a fly-in-fly-out rotation, so when he was home we had to pack in everything he missed while he was away. Needless to say, those weeks were exhausting. Super fun! But exhausting.
I came across a blog post by someone in the Whole 30 world who talked about having a day off that was technology-free, errand-free, chore-free, and I think they didn't even cook very much that day. (I have tried for years to find this blog post to no avail.) It was their way of getting off the hamster wheel and having some quality, unstructured time.
Of course I LOVED this idea, so my partner Ryan and I immediately started implementing it. Once per week when he was home, we would have a "SARF Day" (which stands for Steph and Ryan Fun Day). Typically we would play board games, do art, maybe go for a walk, we'd cook one meal and eat leftovers for the rest, and mostly just relax and enjoy each other's company. It was such a breath of fresh air and we kept it up for years!
Then we moved back to Canada, life got busy, we had a baby, and busyness crept up on us again. And living out far from town means every errand or event would take a whole day instead of just a few hours. It's a lot.
Last month we decided to
try a little experiment and bring back SARF Day (Now it stands for Steph, Adelaide, Ryan Fun Day!). No errands, no pre-planned play dates, no non-essential chores, we stay home and just hang out together. Lately it has been lots of art and board games, but we'll see how it evolves.
I have to tell you, I feel better than ever. Not only am I more
connected to my family, but I'm spending a day each week lowering my cortisol and regulating my nervous system with intention (in addition to my Fridays off, of course!). I've gotten back into watercolour painting again, I'm knitting a gnome, and it's absolutely wonderful to have time to dedicate to these hobbies. Not to mention that we're leading by example for our daughter that life doesn't have to be always rushing around.
I share this with you today for the same reason I share most things with you...to inspire you to create your life and your business your own way. I want you to see what's possible when you listen to what you need and add intention to your actions. Should you do it exactly like this? Of course not! Unless you want to. There is no "should" when it comes to having life your own way.
Ask yourself - What do I need in my life right now?
I'm sure you'll find some intriguing answers if you listen.
Creating a business and a life that works for you on your own terms is exactly why I created The Happy Squirrel Collective. We're a group of business owners inspiring each other with ideas and strategies to get stuff done our own way. If you need a little inspiration and a loving pull, it would be great to have you join us. It's affordable, accessible, and really darn awesome!
Stay tuned in January for a new addition to the group - weekly Focus Calls!
Have a great week,
Stephanie
Wasylyk