The Art of Humility

4 Comments October 30, 2012 drworobec

Humility. hu-mil-i-ty. (hyoo-mil-i-tee). Noun. The quality or condition of being humble; modest opinion or estimate of one’s own importance, rank, etc.

When I think of the values I want to instill in my children, humility ranks near the top of the list.

There are two people in my life who come to mind when I think of humility, or in their case, a lack thereof. Both of these people talk more than listen, brag more than compliment, and gloat more than praise. Their arrogance and showmanship is distasteful, off-putting, and often times insulting. But as I thought about it, I realized they’re patting themselves on the back because they’re worried no one else will. Insecurity and lack of humility go hand in hand. If a person is not secure with themselves, they have to broadcast their accomplishments for all to hear, in the hopes that they’ll feel better about themselves.

This is where my parenting mission starts. To instill humility, I must instill confidence. To instill humility, I must instill pride. To instill humility, I must instill self esteem.

“Do you wish to be great? Then begin by being.

Do you desire to construct a vast and lofty fabric?

Think first about the foundations of humility.

The higher your structure is to be, the deeper must be its foundation.”

~Saint Augustine

So let’s go build foundations for our kids. Deep ones. So that they may be accomplished and humble.

Spending Family Money to Buy Family Time

2 Comments October 23, 2012 drworobec

I’m the financial organizer in our house; the prudent one, the thrifty one, the bill-payer, the budgeter, the saver. So every few months, I take a look at our numbers and see if we’re on track with the goals and priorities we’ve set for ourselves. As I was reviewing our finances last week, I noticed that we are spending family money to buy family time.

I’ve been back to work following my maternity leave for a couple of months now, and our life as two-working-parents-with-two-children is exponentially busier than our life as two-working-parents-with-one-child was. In an effort to maximize family time with our children, our spending priorities have shifted. We’ve had to modify our budget and our mindset to make this happen….. dinners out are now few and far between, our vacation fund has been derailed, and trips to Starbucks and Mapleview Mall are nearly non-existent. But it works for us.

Here’s where I spend family money to buy family time:

I hired someone to clean my house. Denise comes every other Thursday morning and cleans our place from top to bottom. This means that I don’t clean. I sweep the floor and do the dishes and laundry. And that’s it.

Time bought: 6 hours/month.

I hired a painter to paint two bathrooms. My friend Tommy did a fantastic job updating our master bathroom and main bathroom- and he did it in a fraction of the time that it would’ve taken me.

Time bought: 10 hours.

I go to a wonderful hairstylist. Whereas I used to need a hair appointment every eight weeks, Telly gives me a great cut/highlights with minimal upkeep- I now go every twelve weeks.

Time bought: 3 hours every other month.

I go to a gym that’s got a fast, effective approach to fitness. Crossfit is all about intensity. I go and work HARD for an hour- and I’m back home before my kids are even awake. This is a big change from my long, ineffective workouts at other gyms.

Time bought: 3 hours per week.

I got a new iPhone. This phone can do everything my computer can do and more, all within easy reach. I’m able to multi-task and complete my electronic to-do list in small chunks throughout the day, rather than a big chunk every evening.

Time bought: 4 hours per week.

The way I see it, I’ve bought myself 45.5 hours this month- nearly two full days and two full nights. And I’ve spent $16.48/hour for that time. I think that’s a pretty good buy.

Oh, the Running Bug…

4 Comments October 16, 2012 drworobec

It strikes me every Fall. Each year, when the leaves start to display their spectacular yellows, oranges, and reds- especially the reds. The running bug sneaks right up and bites me. When I close my eyes, I can almost feel the crisp Autumn air in my lungs, I can almost hear the crunch of leaves beneath my shoes, and I can almost smell the familiar scent of wood-chipped trails.

Running has been a constant in my life for as long as I can remember. From cross-country meets in Junior High, to the University of Calgary Dinos, to marathons, and now to 5K’s with my kids in the Baby Jogger, it’s been something that has helped to define the person I am today.

What else has running done for me?

It’s given me time to think. It’s given me time to mourn. It’s given me time to dream. It’s given me time to cry. It’s given me time to smile.

It’s helped my lungs to get stronger. It’s helped my legs to get more powerful. It’s helped my body to get healthier. It’s helped my mind to get tougher. It’s helped my head to get clearer.

It’s taught my kids that exercise is a part of life. It’s taught my husband that I’m a competitor. It’s taught my parents that it’s part of my routine. It’s taught my friends that running is a part of who I am.

It’s developed my character. It’s developed my independence. It’s developed my determination. It’s developed my perseverance. It’s developed my sense of achievement.

It’s made me a better wife. It’s made me a better mom. It’s made me a better chiropractor. It’s made me a better friend. It’s made me a better person.

The running bug has made me register for both the Chilly Half Marathon in March and the 10-mile Tough Mudder in May. What has the running bug done to you?