When asked about the difference between having three kids versus two, I usually talk about the level of difficulty added to the “getting out of the house” game.
At my kids’ ages of 5, 3 and 17 months – a simple trip to the grocery store becomes an event. One will most likely have to pee the minute everyone is buckled. You try to figure out whose melting point is close to boiling and keep them cooled off. You pray another one won’t be upset about being a walker instead of a cart-sitter.
Because of that, as we neared our departure date for our family vacation to Marco Island last week, it was hard to keep my mind from the “how are we going to pull this off” place. I was imagining all of the scenarios that could happen on the plane. I was stressing about how much we had to pack. I was wondering if this whole attempt at flying our family to the beach with such young kids was even worth the chaos and the money.
As those thoughts took over, the newly-trained part of my mind triggered me.
“You’re doing it again!” it warned. “Thinking of the negative. Worrying. Robbing yourself of the GOOD by finding the bad.”
It was right.
I was about to go on VACATION for goodness sakes.
I had been stressing about my messy house. I had been craving quality time with my kids and my husband. And yet there I was… still letting my mind wander to all that was bad about disappearing to the beach with my family.
So I cut that crap out.
And I made the mental pivot. Continue reading