Throughout each day, my heart whispers, ”This is what I signed up for”, when it senses resistance. I would sometimes say it out loud: ”Yep, I signed up for this!” My children and husband have heard it countless times and usually nod in agreement as we laugh together.
These reminders often come “when the spirit is willing, but the body is tired.” When I’m feeling overwhelmed, or simply not in the mood to be an adult!
Commitments can feel heavy when I’m not performing at my best. And instead of running for the hills, I remind myself that these moments are a result of the choices I’ve made. I’ll keep showing up as long as I can meet the demands.
Is this what you signed up for?
This phrase has become a daily ritual of reflection. It helps me pause before reacting, stay grounded, and present. It reminds me to honor the commitments I’ve made to God, myself, my husband, our children, and my community.
There are limits to my capacity, patience, and tolerance. Daily, I face questions about how best to manage them and show up, one day at a time.
Life is a daily practice.
This practice has provided me with valuable insight about myself and the significance of honoring my commitments. It has encouraged me to truly consider the implications of completing a task and be selective about what I commit to without guilt.
Twenty years into marriage and 3 children later. We couldn’t have fully comprehended the daily mundanity and challenges ahead of us. No one really does until they are deep into it.
I’ve learned that whatever we believe we signed up for is always more than we realize.
I’ve learned that to fulfill my commitments, showing up isn’t enough. It requires the willingness to ask for help. It requires adjusting and renegotiating, and rewriting the rules as life continues to change.
And every day, I relearn the same truth: This is what I signed up for.
