My salmon fishing buddies and I are now anxiously awaiting the start of the 2013 fly-fishing quest for atlantic salmon, here in Eastern Canada. The big day is June 1, only 93 days away (but who is really counting!). What are you so passionate about, that you get excited about counting down the days? A vacation? Wedding? Business trip? Start of major league baseball?
Whatever the case, we must all be careful of wishing our lives away. I did this about 10 years ago. Being over-excited about the upcoming salmon fishing season, I put all of my extra energy outside of work into planning, planning and planning for the salmon season of a lifetime. The result was not so good: I neglected my health, was stressed out (due to not enough self-care), suffered depression in the months that followed and it was my worst year ever (many rivers also closed due to low water levels). Anticipation is a great motivator, but do not lose sight of day to day living for the sake of something that may never come to pass.
After that experience, I woke up and realized that the time will come soon enough; there is no need to wish life away so fast. Secondly, health is number one and everything must be in balance (even our hobbies, passions and life motivators need to be kept in check). Sometimes we can put soooooo much energy and effort in and as a result, tip the stress scale to the negative point of no return. Lastly, because of that experience, I studied work-life balance in a major way. We can not be experts without going through the pain, struggles and tribulations on our own...no matter how many letters we place after our names. And of course, with every set back, comes an opportunity. What unpredictable situations have you learned life-lessons from?
Let the countdown begin ... but let life unfold as it should. There is no rushing mother nature, or time, anyway.
pmw
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