My Journey With Health And Fitness – I Should Take My Own Advice
This week we started getting some repair work done on the condo. We started with getting all shower heads/faucets cleaned. This is a necessity because of the highly mineralized well water here that clogs up all the fixtures (note, the shower this morning had so much better water pressure). We are also getting all of the windows resealed as the caulking deteriorates due to the humidity. Some of our doorways needed fixing again because of the humidity. Finally we needed to pull up most of the tiles in the main bedroom as they were heaving. Let me just say doing this has caused the thickest layer of dust everywhere but still after having the condo for 8 years we know it was the right time to get all of this done.
So, I am starting to question my sanity. I say that because I really don’t listen to my own advice. I frequently tell the participants in my caregivers’ support group about how detrimental it can be to overload yourself. Instead I counsel them to ensure they have time to take care of themselves. I know that is really important for mental health and I also know that piling on stress can do a lot of damage. Sadly, I do not apply that advice to my own life.
Right now in British Columbia we are in campaign period for local elections (mayor and council for our City). Even though I knew I was coming to the condo I agreed to be the Financial Agent for an Elector Organization which is basically a slate of candidates. I’m responsible for ensuring we all comply with the election laws and of couse for managing the funds. It is extremely stressful especially since some of the candidates just don’t understand that I am ultimately held accountable for the campaign to the point where if we screw it up I can be fined and/or sent to prison. Just this morning I had to send them all an email in which I brought the hammer down over them ‘approving’ spending money when they don’t have the authority to do so. We still have 3 weeks to go on the campaign and sometimes I wonder if I will survive.
Having said that, I did a kind of stupid thing this week. Our Premier decided to call a Provincial election on Tuesday. This election will have a campaign period that runs at the same time as the local election though ends exactly one week after we do the local vote. I got a call the day the election was called asking if I was willing to be the Financial Agent for our MLA candidate. Because he is a good friend I of course agreed. He then advised that another friend may be running in an adjacent riding, would I be willing to be to be Financial Agent there as well. Again, I said absolutely.
So let’s recap, I am Fnancial Agent for 6 candidates in our local election. I estimate I have already spent 50 hours working on that campaign. Now, I have added being financial agent for 2 candidates running Provincially. That makes 8 candidates in totoal. What the hell was I thinking especially since all of this will be done while I am out of the country. To be clear, the amount of work just doing the reporting to Elections BC is massive. Still, in less than 48 hours I managed pay all the bills for the local election as well as get the campaign account set up for one of the Provincial candidates. Needless to say there is not going to be a lot of time for myself while I am here.
Seriously, why can’t I take my own advice? I guess it is because I feel I need to do my part. I have no interest in running in politics but I also feel that the way I can make a difference is by participating. Ok, I acknowledge this time I may have taken it to the extreme. Do I know how I am going to pull all of this off? Nope. Do I think I will pull it off? Yep. And in the end I know I will feel good about doing my part. I’ll be exhausted but I know win or lose I will feel I accomplished something.
Oh and when I come to the condo the end of December, I’m taking a complete month off from doing any volunteer work.
