Commitments

Looking ahead to the month of February and doing a quick count, I see I'm already scheduled for 23 hours of appointments, not including drive time. These range from everything from board and marketing meetings to teaching a class at the Greensboro Women's Center, attending a friend's book launch to my radio show, coffee with friends to Artist Dates. 

In the middle of each month, as I look at my growing list of commitments, I always swear to do better next month and not overburden myself. "I'll just say 'no,'" I tell myself. Doesn't happen.

Part of it is that I want to be at all these places. Board meetings and seeing friends and volunteer work is important to me. But so is writing and sometimes I feel like I let go of my time for that in order to "fit in" everything else, instead of the other way around. But I'm grateful I have the kind of work and schedule that allows me to fit in so many different things. I wouldn't want to stay home every day and just write. I'd go insane.

Balance is key. I keep hoping I'll just luck into it as I go, but it may be time to break down and put a bit more thought into what I can and can't commit too--even as it relates to coffee with friends or driving into town for a run. 

Gotta go. Got to get some work done before I shoot into Greensboro for today's appointments. =)