Overload

“Are you still blogging?” Yikes, has it really been THAT long???

Since the minute I quit my job, over five years ago, I have been sweating what the next chapter would look like. I knew that my retirement from that field didn’t mean that I’d spend the rest of my life popping bonbons and lounging. I wasn’t sure what life with three children in school looked like (and to be honest I’m still not sure seeing as my youngest is ONLY three and a half). I didn’t know how one rediscovers their professional side while sprinting to different activities after school. I didn’t know how people handle the administrative demands most jobs have when I can barely handle responding to an email.

I had the fabulous opportunity to work in a field that I absolutely LOVE. The chance to spend my days doing EXACTLY what I like to do AND be paid for it seemed like an absolute blessing. My gym has been an oasis for me over the last five years as a stay at home mom. As crazy as my kids can be, as long as my day could become, or as hectic as life is I could always escape to the gym. I could put my kids in the kid’s club for two hours of amazing programming and engagement while I can pretend to be an adult again. So despite my eagerness to start this next chapter of employment, I was (and still am) concerned with this jeopardizing my happy place.

I started this process last April-ish of becoming a group fitness instructor. To say that I am BEYOND stressed doing exactly what I love sounds like an oxymoron. People get into fitness to de-stress. In the last six months, my life has taken on a level of craziness that I didn’t know was possible.

For one, having three children in countless activities jumbles your brain. I sign them up for things that I think they will enjoy, that will keep them active, that allow them to spend time with peers. In doing so, any given day I may be in seventeen places. This has nothing to do with my new endeavor but it has certainly added to my plate. Each place they go, organization they are part of, or company/team they participate in has a whole gamut of things I must remember – money I’m supposed to send, paperwork I’m supposed to fill out, equipment I must buy, etc. It’s enough to drive an otherwise sane person INSANE…and I never claimed to be sane.

Second of all, I am blessed to have been entrusted to teach a couple different formats at a couple different places. Each with their own uniqueness and charm. But staying on top of what is required at each place is quite challenging. Each structures their classes with different terminology, different technique and different priorities. And despite the fact that I respect and understand the needs of each place, it’s difficult to plan accordingly each week for each class.

Then the number one killer of my extreme stress load would be my certification. In order to be a fitness instructor at most places, you need to have a national certification. This certification has a 500 page book full of important information ranging from the science of our bodies, anatomy, composition of classes and safety. To make matters worse, the test is one of those “pass/fail everything depending on it” kind of tests. I wasn’t good at those kinds of test when I was a full time student, let alone when I had points one and two to deal with!

“Are you still blogging?” I bet you’re sorry you asked! Yes I’m blogging, at least in my head and most of the time it just never makes it to the computer because unless I give up sleeping (which I don’t get a ton of) there’s just not time. Yes I’m still cooking too. I have to feed my family after all. I made the greatest recipe the other day that I would love to share with all of you but…well, I think you get the point. I expect in the not-too-distant future things with the kids will settle down and we’ll get used to our new schedule. I’ll be quicker and more accustomed to teaching and get the rhythm down with class prep. AND I’ll pass this stinking test which is consuming me in a way I had hoped studying never would again! In the time being, I’m going on a much needed weekend getaway with my favorite guy and I intend to come back a recharged, less stressed, more capable human being. A girl can hope!!!