$pent Millennial

I just can’t keep up. That’s how it feels. As I type this, I’ve just missed a board meeting I was supposed to attend. Racing from one obligation to the next, I couldn’t make it tonight. And even though I’m learning to give myself grace, it’s a hard thing to sit with—knowing I just can’t do it all.

Instead, I’m here, reflecting and reminding myself of something I’ve been saying for years: every ‘yes’ is a ‘no’ to something else. I want to make sure I’m choosing the best “yeses” for me. Tonight, as I write this, I’m saying ‘yes’ to myself. And that feels good. Necessary, even. But…

But how long will it take before I’m racing around again? This season of life—and, honestly, this season of the year—seems determined to keep me moving faster than I want to go. The world around me is just as relentless. Every store I step into seems to be racing as well, battling to be the first to transform itself into a holiday wonderland. “Will we ever be able to just slow down?” I found myself asking this exact question at Wal-Mart the other day, walking smack into the garden center turned holiday headquarters——and it wasn’t even Halloween yet.

And don’t get me wrong; I’d love nothing more than to cozy up with a holiday movie, a festive latte, and maybe some cookies. But I’m just…not there yet. I have things left to do before I slip into my holiday hibernation. So, as the big-box stores haul out their plastic trees, inflatable Santas, and pre-wrapped gifts, I’m over here snagging up some discounted Halloween candy, and frantically texting my Starbucks expert friend to see if I have time for one last pecan latte before peppermint and eggnog flavors take over.

Some days, it feels like there are just never enough hours in the day or days in the week to get through my list. My calendar is crowded with events, responsibilities, and deadlines, all pushing me to keep going. That board meeting I missed tonight? That’s not a one-off. I’m constantly recalculating which commitments I can meet, deciding where I need to show up, and re-evaluating where I simply cannot. The idea of a few solid hours to reset and relax feels like a dream I’m constantly reaching for but rarely touching. There’s always another project, another task, another deadline. I want to be intentional with my time, but every week, it feels like I’m chasing a finish line that only keeps moving further away.

Today, we gained an extra hour with the time change, and while it’s only 60 minutes, somehow, it feels like more. This small gift—a bit of breathing room in a busy season—reminds me to hit pause, take a breath, and maybe—just maybe—rethink where I want to spend my time.

So, here’s to the best “yeses” and the occasional “no’s” that make them possible. To the moments where we let ourselves step back, even if only for a short while. And to that extra hour, a small reminder that sometimes, when you’re feeling rushed, time can surprise you with just a little more.