Oftentimes at night, as I lay awake for the last few minutes of my day, I dream about what I would do if I had one more hour in the day.
Not laundry.
Not workout.
Not get a massage or mani-pedi.
Not scroll aimlessly through social media.
Not even sleep.
If I had a 25th hour in the day, I would use it to exhale.
Even before COVID, I was known as the energizer bunny to my family and friends. I have always thrived off of being busy. However, as I am heading into my mid-40s, I find myself desiring more peace and calmness. I’m sure the past year has contributed to my new desire to be free from the demands of the real world. Like everyone I know, I long for a break, a vacation, even if it’s just for a few days, away from the daily grind.
I’ve never been one who meditates or finds joy in visualizing. This desire to exhale is more about giving myself a release. If I had a 25th hour in the day, I like to think I’d finally exhale all the pent-up stress, anger, and sadness stuck inside of me. As a mom, wife, daughter, and teacher, there’s never enough time to do it all. I’m always last on my list. Most days, I don’t even make the list, if I’m perfectly honest.
In March, we are actually “losing” an hour as we spring forward for daylight savings. Instead of looking at it as a loss of the hour, I will switch my perspective and think of it as gaining an hour—specifically an hour of sunlight. For me, like many, the sun is a natural calming force. With the sun comes sunshine and warmer weather, hopefully sooner rather than later.
