Mami Rhedeg

OK, so being tired isn't a new thing. I wasn't the first exhausted as parent, and I doubt I'll be the last. On the other hand, I could never work out why I was so tired... Until I stopped doing what I'd been doing for most of a decade... Basically, as well as working, and then adding a small child into the mix, I was doing all the planning, thinking, keeping up with everything that needed doing. This cartoon printed in the Guardian popped up, and pretty much sums up why I was exhausted...  https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/26/gender-wars-household-chores-comic  I did experiment from time to time with not doing it all... But the harsh reality was that if I didn't do it myself, or chase, remind, ask, things just didn't get done.  The last of the milk gone in the tea someone else made so there's none left for breakfast... Why didn't I get more / ask for more to be bought?  Why hadn't the specific item of clothing needed been washed? ...

I've been a bit quiet lately, and maybe I shouldn't have been ... because the not writing has made me realise just how much it actually helps me.  Anyway, one of the Facebook pages I started following a few years ago is called Tips for a Stunning Life, and a few days ago the caption in the photo popped up.  As a statement, it's pretty accurate, but thinking about it did make me start to think about how I actually prioritise things in my life.  And actually, for most of the last 10 - 15 years, I've been pretty low on my own priority list.  And that's a harsh realisation to get to.  I've prioritised pretty much everything it lists (with the exception of money, I'm really bad at prioritising money). Why?  Mainly because I think that letting people down is a bad thing.  That if I agree to do something, then that's what I do.  Always.  Even if life has changed in the mean time.  Even if there are other things that maybe should be prio...