My Dilemma: I love bucket lists but I am in a season of slowing down, healing, and savoring life. Can I have a Fall Bucket List and still heal from PTA Burnout?
Me: Create the Fall Bucket List. If you write all your ideas in one place, you won’t feel compelled to think about them all the time. You’ll reclaim the headspace.
Also me: But if I make a Fall Bucket list, that makes experiences that are supposed to be fun seem like items on a To Do list.
Me: So?
Also me: Then I’ll have a false sense of urgency and feel anxious about creating the perfect autumn for the kids.
Me: Or maybe, it’s about prioritizing. If you put it on the Fall Bucket List, it’s important. Then you’ll remember you can’t volunteer for a hundred things because you want to slow down and savor this autumn.
Also me: Are you just trying to justify the creating of a bucket list?
Me: Are you overthinking this?
Also me: We are supposed to be slowing down! Healing!
Me: I enjoy bucket lists about things I want to do. Why are you depriving me of this pleasure?
Also me: Because I don’t want unnecessary stress!
Me: You know what’s unnecessary stress? You overanalyzing the desire to have a Fall Bucket List.
Also me: You have a point.
Me: I enjoy projects and lists. For the first time in forever, I don’t have to organize soccer teams or room parents and hustle to get volunteers at carnivals and I want to savor the shit out of autumn.
Also Me: I want to savor the shit out of autumn, too, but I also want to heal from burnout.
Me: This is healing. You know what sucks? Running yourself ragged to satisfy the demands of the patriarchy, hustling for approval, striving for perfection. You know what doesn’t suck? PUMPKINS.
Also me: [taking a moment to tune in with my gut] You’re right. Let’s have a Fall Bucket List!