How to redesign your life

Recreating a life is a little like decluttering a room. You need todecide what parts of it you’d like to keep and what parts of it you’dlike to go off. And of course, the best part is you need to decide whatit is you need to shop for in order to add to your life to enhance it.

Periods of transformation, change, redevelopment or whatever theflavour of the day word is for getting the life you want or need areall important to consider. They make you think about balancing what is good and healthy for you and your family.Any type of change begins with one form of action: it could be as smallas taking your lunch to work, to as big as moving homes (which Irecently did). Change is action. You must do “something” to start theprocess of “action.”

Let’s see, what do I need to transform in my life now? Ireally need to find harmony with who I am now at my workplace. The workculture I live in is really driven, high stress, with lots of extrahours of unpaid overtime… and yes, before breast cancer, this workedreally well for me. I loved challenging things and still do. When Iwent back to work I thought I would easily be able to do exactly what Idid before. Yes, you got it, I was wrong. My body says, honey you arestill healing, and healing takes time, and when you do too much we aregoing to make you feel so tired, even your mamma will say “child, whyare you driving yourself so hard?” I have had the friend lecture, thehusband lecture, the doctor lecture and silly me still thinks, oh yes Ican, oh yes I can, oh yes I can…oh.. oh.. oh.. And then the body says“no”… not going to happen. Splat on my face go I.

So, my redecorating-my-life project is now at the redesign stage.I have a good picture of what is working for me and what isn’t. I needto set smaller goals, and be satisfied with achieving them. I need toset limits at work with myself and my coworkers as to what I can doeffectively without working overtime. I need to recognize that I have anew normal and that it is just fine to be this person I am now.

Once I’m on track, I do have a wish list of what I’d like to “shop for”to add to my life: a) take art courses at Alberta College of Art andDesign; b) host small parties in our home and do more entertaining; c)learn a new sporting activity; d) do some volunteer work. I know theseare not big wishes, but these little wishes are really important tohave in your life. Although they are not essential they are kind oflike fertilizer, they help you grow.

So… my life is still in major transformation and adjustment… and that’s okay. I am very happy every day that I am here, getting to do this.

Life is good.
Jordan

Jordan is a Best Health reader and guest blogger. Find links to all of her posts on the Breast Cancer Blog home page.

Don’t miss a single Best Health Blog post—subscribe today via RSS or email!