Last week I wrote a blog post about multitasking, and I realized that I’m juggling a lot of shit. The problem is that it’s all shit I actually WANT to do – things I’m passionate about that light me up. In the scheme of things, I guess that’s not a bad problem to have, but I often end up feeling frustrated or overwhelmed because I never seem to have enough time in the day to accomplish my seemingly never-ending list of goals. So, the question is, how do I choose what to scale down in order to fit everything in, and, realistically, is that even possible?

I am always incredulous when I hear people say they are bored and don’t have anything to do. I find this often seems to be the case with my friends who are retired, and I want to smack them in the face and say, “Wake up, man!! You have the world at your feet now!” There are sooooooo many things I want to experience and do in life that I can’t even imagine the concept of being bored. I have an extensive list of hobbies, projects, ideas, and volunteer opportunities I would engage in if I was retired or didn’t have a full-time job. Just thinking about the possibility of having all of that extra time is like a thrilling fantasy.

If I look at my “problem” from a logical perspective, I suppose it depends on my priorities and timelines. I’ve read enough self-development books to know about time management, prioritizing my commitments, getting rid of obligations that don’t serve me, and breaking down large or overwhelming tasks into smaller components. But what if I feel like ALL of my passion projects are priorities because they are all equally exciting to me? Well, that’s where timelines and taking a look at the big picture comes into play.

This blog is definitely something that falls into the passion project category. When I started writing articles, it was mostly just a cathartic way to release some of my frustrations about shit happening in the country. Starting this blog was a way for me to express myself in a manner that I hoped other people would find inspiring, or at the very least, entertaining. I never imagined this blog would be the catalyst for completely changing my life and opening doors to other projects I’ve become super passionate about, like the “Unapologetically Outspoken Podcast.” Who knew I would absolutely love co-hosting a podcast three times a week or that other podcast hosts would want to interview me?? I honestly never saw any of this coming, but I love it so much that now I can’t imagine not doing it.

A few weeks ago, I came up with yet another idea for a project I want to start with my bestie, and it’s one of those ideas that I can’t get out of my mind because I find it so exciting. I also recently had the most incredible and unexpected opportunity to get my very own horse, which is a fucking dream I’ve had since I was a kid. I wake up every day with a smile on my face because I feel so blessed that this amazing opportunity made its way to me, but having a horse has now added an extra hour (or often more) onto my schedule of daily animal care responsibilities.

Let me make it clear that I am NOT complaining one bit! Like I said, these responsibilities are all things that I absolutely love. But, on top of the hours I spend researching news stories every day for the podcast, this means my plate is now overflowing, and shit is starting to fall off of my plate and onto the floor. So, unless I suddenly come into a ton of money that allows me the financial freedom to quit my full-time job, something has to give. And after looking at my options, I’ve decided that “something” is going to be my blog. At least for now.

As much as I love writing weekly articles, truthfully I have a very small audience of readers, and I’m sure most people won’t even notice or care if I don’t post a blog article every week. That was more of a pressure and a commitment that I put on myself. I’m not intending to quit the blog altogether, because it’s something that I truly love to do, but I’m going to scale it down to bi-weekly articles instead of every week. I’m also going to attempt to keep my articles a little shorter (Stop laughing, I know I keep saying that, and it never seems to happen, but the operative word here is “attempt”…).

So, with that said, this will be my last article of 2022! I wish all of my readers an amazing holiday season, whatever it is that you celebrate (or don’t). I’ll be back with bi-weekly articles (and probably a few freedom-focused rants…) in January. In the meantime, the podcast will still be going strong with M,W,F episodes, so if you haven’t checked it out yet, there are links on the homepage. Even if you want to keep your head in the sand about what’s happening in the news, our “Motivation / Manifestation Monday” episodes have nothing to do with politics, and you might learn some pretty awesome self-development shit. Here’s to a kick ass 2023.

Unapologetically Outspoken,

Tara