Three weeks into freedom

Exactly three weeks into unemployment and supposed liberation, and here I am wondering if I’m making the most out of all the free time I have in the world. Since I turned in my resignation letter early January, I have started making a list of all the things I need and want to do when I already have a much lighter schedule. I put the list on Shelley, my laptop, under the filename “Finally” and created a shortcut for it on my desktop for easy editing and reference. When I became officially unemployed and spent much time at home, I still update my “Finally” list, but I likewise have taped scratch paper and posted post-its on top of my table for me to write down whatever comes to my mind as to what I should do during my free time. I have made a list of people I need to meet up with, a number of places I have been longing to go to, and some activities that I love doing which I haven’t done for the longest time. Whenever I find myself bored or at a loss on what to do, I go back to my list to check if there’s anything to do there that I would fancy.

I don’t really know if I’ve accomplished much. There are still so many items in my list which remain uncrossed. But let me see… I’ve gone on an out of the country with some of my closest friends from law school. I’m finished with all the numerous tests which my doctor has asked me to take just to make sure that I’m in tip-top condition. (And they all turned out good, thank you very much, but that is a different blog entry). I’ve crossed out some people in my list whom I wish to talk to or meet up with. I’ve spent time bonding with my nieces. I’ve started reading and writing again albeit ever so slowly, but at least it’s a start, right? I’ve gone back to the gym, I’ve played tennis again and I’m running a 5k tomorrow (which I have been training for ever so diligently but I still don’t know if I can make it!). Lately, I’ve been able to get the “me” time I’ve always been longing for just to sit down and relax and ponder on life and the amusing things connected thereto. And I know there are a lot more things – little things - I have accomplished or have started doing which I couldn’t have done while I was still working.

I guess I’m doing okay.

I know it’s near impossible to do everything I wrote on my list. Perhaps I should start another list: Instead of “Finally,” I should create a “Make Time to Do These Things to Keep Your Sanity” list. I really should remember to take time out to do things that I love doing no matter how busy I get. I think that’s what I forgot to keep in mind when I was still with my old job.