Your Day

I have to admit: I sometimes envy people without kids. Not long ago, I used to be one of them. Choosing how to spend my evenings instead of falling asleep at my toddlers› bedside. Waking up after a full night’s sleep. Finishing an entire meal in peace. Making plans for the day without planning around someone’s naptime. Before I had a family, I wasn’t even aware of how much me-time I had. So as I said: I sometimes envy people without kids…

However, a year ago I got myself a special gift: a Tanja Day. No kids, no work, no obligations, no questions asked, I can do whatever I want and don’t need to ask anyone for permission. And the best is: it comes every two weeks. This is the greatest gift Tobias and me ever got each other (and I am well aware that this is a luxury). We reduced his workload to 80% and are taking turns watching the kids every other Friday.

The first Tanja Days have been somewhat overwhelming: I had accumulated so much me-time debt, that I did not know what to do first: sleep, eat, read, work out, writ , do nothing, watch sitcoms or call my friends… It did get easier over time. Knowing that I can count on this day every two weeks takes the pressure off. I typically spend my Tanja Days getting up before anybody else and sneaking out of the house for a 2h run listening to my favorite podcasts (not everyone’s cup of tea, I know… ;-). I also invest a lot of time in writing, playing the piano, occasional naps and trips to the mountains. Socializing is typically not one of my priorities on these days as I am recharging my batteries best when I am all by myself. 

It started as an experiment, but after one year it is safe to say that this day has become my security blanket: It helps me deal with all the sh** that piles up in between my Tanja Days. It definitely contributed to us reaching some of our famlily goals such as starting our vacations with our batteries no less than half empty instead of relying on the holidays to fix the fatigue from our every-day lives. The one of us who just had their special day is usually bringing back so much joy and energy to the family that it will carry us through the next week. 

What would your day look like? Where did you accumulate «debt» in your life and what would you do with 8 extra hours every two weeks? What would need to change in your life for this to happen? For a day once in a while that is truly yours?

Lots of love, 
Tanja

This text was first published in my though-letter Tanja’s Butterflies (February Edition 2022 – Part 2). If you are interested in receiving the next editions in your inbox with additional resources, you can subscribe here.