To my own advice.
Here is what I told everybody. For an entire month. The month of March, 2017.
“You cannot do it all.
Choose wisely.
Because balance is a myth.”
Which is WHY…
My June 2017 computer desktop calendar is SIX. DAYS. LATE.
This same monthly calendar, which I have published for over SEVEN YEARS. Every month. On time. Every time.
Because that — is how I (normally LIKE to) roll.
This time it was LATE.
But nobody died. Blood was not shed. I was not arrested.
I had to CHOOSE.
Here is what won-out over the June 2017 desktop calendar in the few days that remained before I left for a 17-day work trip.
- watching my son’s 8th grade Shakespeare play
- having lunch with two friends
- unpacking my new king-sized mattress which came via FedEx in 3 boxes
- pulling weeds
- planting lantana and pumpkin plants
- safely packing 30 paintings
- creating a bunch of new art prints that I really didn’t need, but made me happy
- leaving my house clean before I left town
- writing a calendar so everyone in charge of my son for 17 days knew their role
- making price tags for all the prints I took to the art show which I am currently part of until June 10
- being (reasonably) nice to my family
Nothing huge. But things that mattered.
To ME. Mattered more than being on time. Mattered more than what I feared people would think of me. Mattered more than driving myself crazy with the false idea that I could do everything.
Or even worse, the idea that I had no choice, or power, or say in the matter — as to which things I could eliminate from my ever-growing list of “good ideas.”
And guess what.
Being LATE was the best choice I could have have made.
Yes. I am late.
But no. This infraction will not be “written up in my permanent record.”
Once I gave up thinking this June calendar was something I could still squeeze into the last few days before I left town, it freed me up to focus on the other things which I decided were non-negotiable. Things that truly did matter. As opposed to a self-imposed deadline which I created for myself too many years ago.
All that being said, if you still want/and or need a new monthly calendar, here it is. In all its TARDY GLORY.
To use this calendar on your desktop, just click on the image to download. Happy June!
“Society Street” is a painting from Charleston, SC .
I created it back in 2012.
Back when I didn’t feel like I had the power to choose what mattered MOST to me.
I chose to use “Society Street” for the month of June — because I am actually back in the very same Charleston, taking part in the very same Art Show I participated in when I was staying in this very home.
So how is it that I suddenly had time for this calendar?
RAIN DAY!! (That is the only reason.)
If you want to follow my super-fun (but also super-duper-hard) adventure which caused the June calendar to be late – just visit my Facebook page at MarieScottArt to see photos from my time at the Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Exhibition.
Otherwise, I hope that this calendar will remind you during this month of June that you TOO — have choices.
And since March is long past, I will say it one more time. To myself and to anyone else who is listening…
“You cannot do it all.
Choose wisely.
Because balance is a myth.”
Until next time,
Marie Scott
PS In case you didn’t get my 2017 “All that is Good” wall calendar and were curious, here is the March painting which I titled “Balance.”
(I have this painting with me at the show! And it is still for sale. For NOW!)
