Lady of Leisure

The best colleagues send flowers to congratulate you
on your unemployment.

Have you ever imagined how it might feel to live like the Bennet sisters - spending your days refining your character and waiting for the sound of a new arrival at your doorstep? I'm about to experience that, as Friday was my last day of work for awhile!

For the record, I initiated the change and have been anticipating this day for awhile. Scott has been entirely supportive of the idea, though I'm not quite sure why he gets so giddy at the idea of me not being employed. He keeps asking me if I think I will never work again, and my answer has been 100% I will work again.... just not quite yet. I have nothing lined up, except to find life balance again. So then I started imagining what my life might be like as a "lady of leisure".

The idea of ending employment without anything lined up afterwards was too much for my brain. I knew that if I spent my days lounging on the couch reading or watching cheesy romances (though that IS EXACTLY how I like to spend my holidays), I would feel unproductive and guilty for all the things I could accomplish and have been neglecting. Knowing this about myself, weeks ago I began writing a list of all the pieces of my life that I set aside because my job had been all consuming: going to the gym, finishing books I've started, working on creative projects, making healthy dinners, organizing my finances, among other things. Then a month ago I was trained for a volunteer opportunity in our neck of the woods that is flexible to when I'm available. Perfect, right?

Basically, it's like I'm trading in my old job to manage my life, like that Mother's Day ad where they interviewed for Director of Operations. I'm aiming for that (minus the whole mothering bit), and dreaming of the day when my to-do list is empty and I'm drumming my fingers in anticipation of my next project. If you have any suggestions to add to my lady of leisure agenda, send them on over.