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Full Life
By Mike Stanton-Rich
I've got this friend we'll call her Jill. We'll call her Jill because that could be her name. Jill is leading a very full life. She is married to a go-getter workaholic. She has a career of her own. She and Mr. Jill have 2.2 kids, live in a much better than median price home for their community, and are a part of every group and organization that needs their attention. Looking at it objectively, the Jill Family has it all.
Yet Jill doesn't see it that way. Here are a few of her complaints:
"I have no time to myself." With the demands of her job that seem to increase every year, the demands of the little Jill's, and the lack of help around the house from Mr. Jill, there is just no time left. Her therapist says this is a cop-out. He thinks that anybody could set-aside time if it is important enough. Jill told the guy to stuff-it on her last visit.
"I have got no time for family." One of the reasons Jill and her hubby got together in the first place was so that they could have 2.2 kids and live the dream life in the suburbs. But something got out of whack along the way. The bigger the house, the bigger the yard, the more exclusive the schools, the smaller the paycheck looked. Jill remembers how happy she was working part-time for the doctor down the street when the kids were small, and how Mr. Jill would come home at 5:30 pm every night to play with the kids, and how they spent their evenings together as a family. But that was a long time ago.
"My body is falling apart, and I don't know what to do." She used to go to the gym three days a week, but now that looks like a luxury in an already full life. Back when Mr. Jill was with his first company and they finally got some health benefits, Jill took advantage of everything offered. Now that they have the best insurance available for human consumption, the Jill's never go to the doctor and rarely take the time to use the benefits. They write it off as too much hassle to deal with their managed care provider. Jill knows she feels better when she works out, but she won't take the time knowing that she already has no time for her family.
"We've got money, but it's not what we need." The bank account has never looked better. The stock portfolio is solid. The 401-K's are growing every year. Retirement looks sweet. "What's wrong with this picture?" Jill asks. She's never had so much money, and has never been so unhappy. She misses seeing the hubby every day; She misses being with the kids; She misses those once relaxing vacations together.
"I just want to get off this rollercoaster." Seems like every Monday Jill thinks this same thought. She even knows that she's going to think it before she does, so it is easier to dismiss it rather than deal with it. She hates the roller coaster life she is leading. The constant climb to the top of the hill, the mad rush down, the twists and turns and the jolting stop, only to be repeated over and over again. She would like to get back on the slow moving train around the amusement park, but doesn't know how. Secretly she enjoys the rush of the rollercoaster, and really does not want to get off. The view from the top of the hill will always be better than the one on the outskirts of the park.
Jill went back to work this Monday with all kinds of angst. But darn the money, and the prestige and the perks are good.
About the Author
Mike Stanton-Rich is "The Leisure Guy." Armed with a Ph.D. in Leisure Studies and years studying stress and burnout, he writes regular articles and features about enhancing work and leisure. Catch his latest at: http://www.theleisureguy.com
Article Source: http://www.simplysearch4it.com/article/8763.html
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