Life seasons...

So, I've always said that you will make time for what you believe is important in your life. That being said, I think what is important to "you" changes depending on the season of life you find yourself in. For me, this is a tough season when it comes to training. California was great because my only "job", as it were, was do attend grad school classes. So, I was home during the day alot and was free to train at night for two straight years. Unfortunately that has changed coming back to work. I know it probably sounds like whining...which it probably is...but I'm having a tough time striking a balance between work and play. Chelle and I have talked about it several times over the last four months. On a normal day I'm not leaving my office before 6:30 or 7pm at night (every night) and, when I do get a chance to make training, I'm not home until 9pm after two of my three kids are in bed. So, I'm up at 5:30am (for PT) and out the door with only about 10 minutes of face time with my kids and then I return after they are sleeping.

This problem weighs heavily on me. I LOVE jiu jitsu. I love time on the mat, I love learning and coaching....but I hate seeing my kids only on the weekends when I live in the same house with them. So, like I said in the beginning you've got to make time for whats important in your life. Right now, for me, its my family. I have to step away from jits for a little bit and get the rest of this under control, spend some quality time with my replicated DNA and enjoy my life instead of feeling guilty about family, jits and training all the time.

Phew...man that feels better. I'm still training for the Rome 35K and Milan full marathon races. I still go to the gym over lunch (instead stuffing my face at BK) to get strength training every week, but for now, my nights are devoted to my family. If that makes me a bad jits guy then so be it. When I'm an old (my kids would say 'older') man I'm not going to wish for more time on the mat, I will have wished for more time with my family. Until work (which is an unfortunate 'must do' until I retire) calms down, I am laying down my gi and belt for something much more important.

So I enter another season...