This time last year, I was writing about how I accidentally became a community leader when all I meant to do was make some appointments (aka adulting) and clear the junk out of my home office.
In the intervening year, I have:
- made those appointments — dental, medical, and financial things that needed doing, all sorted
- continued being a community leader, or at least organizer
- survived the shift from cubicles to an open office at my day job (being able to work from home part of the time has been essential to my sanity)
- turned 40
(I have not, however, cleared out my home office. Much.)
2020 started with some more big changes at the day job. Retirements and a shrinking team meant that a few colleagues and I needed to step up and acquire some new skills, fast. At the same time, we’ve got our hands full with a big, tricky project, which doesn’t help matters. I’ve spent all of January feeling waaay out of my depth.
…and yet nothing has exploded, we’re keeping on top of things (so far…ask me in a month or two, ahahaha), and I think I’m impressing my manager and colleagues.
It’s really not a comfortable spot to be in. I’m stressed and tired, and I’d much rather go back to my happy little status quo. But…I might just be rising to meet this challenge.
In related news, last weekend my spouse and I had a house party, just a small gathering of friends. To understand the significance of this, you have to realize that we’re both introverts. Hosting does NOT come naturally to us. But we’re coming up on year eight of homeownership, and we’ve thrown at least one party a year, and…maybe this, too, is a skill that can be learned.
So we announced a hygge party. We had mulled cider and vaguely Scandinavian finger food (smoked fish with dill, rice pudding, cardamom-flavoured homemade bread, the usual cheese and crackers sort of thing), and our friends brought knitting and wine. Our winter decor served to make the rooms look festive. We bought tealights but forgot to light them, and meant to put on the fireplace channel but didn’t do that either. My spouse bought a card game called “The Hygge Game” that got used a little bit. People claimed they had fun, and we’re still eating delicious leftovers.
Magically, I was very laid-back about party prep and hosting. Could be that the work stress made it feel easy in comparison, could be the new meds I’m on (thanks to that appointment)–or it could be that at age 40, I’m finally figuring out how to adult.