It's time for a reality check. Let's let the stress, guilt and anxiety go!
I think most women are waiting for their very own prince charming. The elusive 25th hour that allows us to escape the responsibilities we incur daily as wives, mothers, homemakers and career women. You know the story. Prepare the breakfast, pack the lunches, wash the dishes, mop the floors, vacuum the carpet, polish the furniture, clean the bathrooms, do the laundry, fold the clothes, prepare the dinner, bathe the kids, read to the kids, finish the paper for work, and then, while you’re washing that last fingerprint off the wall, gear up to love thy husband. That’s the story that has become a reality for so many women. The stress, guilt and anxiety we experience as a result of our inability to complete every task within 24-hours, are symptoms characteristic of what I call, the Cinderella Syndrome. We believe we have to do everything at the very moment we discover it needs to be done. We become the voice of the evil step-mom in our own heads. Let’s face it. Superwomen do exist. But even Superman had his weakness. If we’re not careful, we can become emotionally lethargic, suffer burn-out and crash.
“If hanging out in your jammies during the COVID-19 pandemic [I can’t even talk about it] makes you feel better – stay in your jammies!”
I urge you to make some concessions. Reevaluate the expectations you have for yourself. If you know that getting up and getting dressed in the morning is going to make you feel better-get dressed. If hanging out in your jammies during the COVID-19 pandemic [I can’t even talk about it] makes you feel better – stay in your jammies! For me, getting dressed and applying a little lipstick makes me feel worthy and ready to take on the world. The point is… do what works for you and let the guilt and stress go! No magic wand has brought forth the 25th hour, and no magic wand has lessened the load of my responsibilities. But I have come to recognize and appreciate that while managing everything can be challenging, I can do it all in time. It just takes time for any worthwhile endeavor to reach fruition. For realizing that fact, I am truly grateful.