Adulthood is full of lots of amazing things, including responsibility. But it is a double-edged sword that can lead you down a path of all the Have To’s like paying bills, cooking, cleaning, running errands and more. If you are not careful, pretty soon your life outside work becomes another job, full of tasks you have to complete.
What is the alternative? These things do need to be done, and if you do not do them, who will, right?
The alternative is living your life.
It sounds hokey and maybe a bit idealistic. But it is possible.
As an adult, I too have lots of responsibilities. A few years ago, my wife became chronically ill, so the responsibilities on me increased substantially, as did the cost of not handling those responsibilities. I very quickly got into a pattern of doing to the point that I was miserable to be around because every distraction from the list of things on my shoulders just felt like it would add to this mountain of growing responsibilities that was crushing me.
The way I describe it to people is that my wife and son were the family, and I was working there. That’s not on them at all. They did not do anything to make it this way. It was completely because of my perceptions and priorities.
This post is inspired by my best-selling book, “Do a Day: How to Live a Better Life Every Day” available in print, eBook and audio book formats. It originally appeared in my Inc.comcolumn on November 8th, 2017.
