Spring Cleaning My Time & Energy

I took a big step this week and closed down my other blog, The Barefoot Office Mom (BOM) after running it for six years, which in Internet time is like a 25 year commitment.

The decision was one of those serendipitous moments when you just KNOW it’s the right thing to do.

I had been grappling with too much stuff on my plate for a while now. I am creative person and as such, love chasing shiny new ideas. And if I’m not careful I can spend a lot of time and energy (and occasionally money) fleshing out ideas and projects that, if I’m honest with myself, aren’t going anywhere. And the BOM was falling into that category.

It had somehow gone from a passion project to just another item on my to-do list, like get groceries or making a dentist appointment.

And in the process the BOM was taking up a lot of mental space that I could of used on other stuff - like Mabon House. I was constantly feeling bad that I wasn’t writing more for the BOM or making more printables or getting on social media enough with it.

I found myself with a general sense of dread whenever I thought of it. But I kept on keeping on…thinking if I just work a little harder, get a little more organized… it’ll be fine. It will work itself out.

Do you ever tell yourself that story? If I just work harder…..when really you need to work less. Or think less. Or do less stuff. This is hard for women - we are programmed to go, go, go. Be productive, efficient, make the world go round (but don’t expect to get a fair wage for any of it).

I keep a post-it with a quote on on my work computer that reads:

“You can do anything. But you can’t do everything.”

Sometimes you have to let things go in order to move forward. And it can be really hard if it is something (or someone) you have invested a lot of time and energy into.

For me, the decision was easy when I gave myself some time and space to think about why I was doing what I was doing. Once I decided that it was time to close up the BOM, I immediately closed down the site, my other etsy shop and my social media profiles. I didn’t give myself time to mull it over and second guess my decision. And when it was over there was a HUGE sense of relief. And space. And it was lovely. And the right thing to do.

What about you? Is there something that you hang on to, out of habit or obligation? Do you think 2020 will be the year of letting it go?