stop asking me to volunteer!

[tielan]

ARGH.

Sincerely. My hockey club asked if I'd take on the secretary role for 2022. I felt bad, because I know that we're hard up for people to work with the management committee, but I had to say no, because I don't have the time and I'm probably overextended as is.

And then one of the Edible Garden Trail committee members made a joke about how I'm practically the committee, anyway, and I basically said "Noooooooooo...."

They were both good about it, but seriously, people. I cannot. Can. Not. Even.

A brief list of the things I'm doing, without actual hours indicated
1. full time working, occasional weekend hours
2. household/garden pets for whom I am the primary carer
3. church and bible study
4. president of local permaculture group
5. hockey
6. quilting
7. gardening
8. writing

I know, the last three/four are "my individual, personal hobbies" and therefore 'disposable' from a worldly sense (ie. women should be totally dedicated to the comforts of everyone else around them) but, no. They are my sanity stops. I can give them up, but I won't.

It's a lot of things, and juggling them as is takes quite a few spoons. And I've been slowly losing spoons these last couple of years. Can't do as much as I could when I was 20, or even 30, or even 40. Plus, things are more likely to hurt/ache and that just slows everything else down, too!

Ultimately, I appreciate the compliment that people think I'm good at organising things, but seriously. No.

Frankly I'm tired just thinking about it!

Comments

[misbegotten]

Hockey! Ice or field?

[tielan]

Field! I always forget to specify, because "hockey" is 'field hockey' here and "ice hockey" is 'ice hockey'.

[misbegotten]

Makes sense to me!

Congrats on not getting drawn into serving. Limits are good, for your sanity! :D

[lilysea]

Good on you for saying NO

and guarding your time/energy/boundaries! ^_^

[kuwdora]

organizing and leading things takes sooo much work. glad you put your foot down! keep time for yourself. ♥

[edenfalling]

That is A LOT. (Do not give up disposable hobbies! They are 100% sanity stops -- everyone needs something that isn't "useful" or "productive" and is instead done primarily to make oneself happy.)

[wpadmirer]

I am in the exact same place. I did take a position with the board of the Women's Playwright group, but no officer position and I basically am just there to vote and put in my notes of sanity when people get too excited about something and don't think it through. (grin)

[rmc28]

Definitely keep your 'disposable' hobbies. I have learned the hard way that I do not cope well without mine.