Loving Late July Without Anxiety

It's the down side of July.  If you are a teacher, you know the anxiety of the down side of July.  As a teacher, I would see the first "Back To School" sale announcements in stores, usually right after July 4, and my entire body would tense up.  For the rest of the summer, I would have an overwhelming feeling of "I didn't get everything done I needed to get done over the summer."  That feeling would hover over me like a big dark raincloud.  It's not that I am or ever have been a procrastinator, but there are only so many hours in the day.  Think about it - closets and cabinets to clean, windows to wash, house repairs to make, gardening, etc. not to mention for many of those years, I had children at home!  June and July were the two months I could set aside to complete projects around the house and every 2 or 3 years, take a vacation with the family.  For the many years I taught summer school, it was just July.  Yikes!

As a teacher, once the first day of school would hit in August, my calendar was consumed until the last day of school in late May or early June.   The first two weeks of August were always dedicated to attending meetings to help get school started and of course decorating my classroom. One thing that makes the teaching profession different from many others is that when teachers come home from school each day, they have several more hours of work to do and many times lose their weekends as well.  As you can see, the short few weeks we have in July (sometimes June) are very precious.

This year, I am happy to say that when I saw the first "Back To School" sale announcement, I felt no anxiety.  I did not feel my body tense up with fear that my summer was too short, that August had come way too early.  As I reviewed my calendar today, I realized that I have events scheduled every weekend between now and August 20.  Normally, this would cause me great stress and anxiety.  Not today - I felt completely ok with my full calendar.  It was a great feeling not to have a time clock ticking away at my summer.

I am loving that I don't have to rejoin the Rat Race in August.  I am loving that I can travel a few hours to be with my dad, who is having some health problems, and I can stay as long as needed.   I am loving that I can spend Wednesdays with my daughter, the one day during the week she doesn't have to coach her cheerleaders.

I am loving that this week, my 7th week of retirement, I realized that I am no longer having heart palpitations.  My doctor said it was stress - guess he was right!

Loving Retirement!