As adults, we have pressures from our jobs, bills, kids' sports, pets... the list goes on. All of these things can bring about good things, except bills and gas prices, of course! The key is not to allow all of the busyness to steal the joy and the relationships with the people you love. I have always believed that the material and temporary things are not worth losing sight of God and your people. To clarify, your people are the ones you love and care for and the ones that love and care for you in return.
So how do you move from survival mode to thriving?
First, take a pause. No, you cannot usually pause from work or paying your bills, but if you shift your priorities, you can find moments of time that you can fill with the things that will significantly impact your day-to-day life. I take a few minutes to read the word first in the morning and drink some coffee. It seems to help me shift a little, and I approach the day better. I then turn on my upbeat pop music and get ready for the day. This may not be your pause, though. You may not be a morning person, and that is ok. Take a minute in your car before work or right before you leave the car to sit in on your kids' practices or games. And find that minute to play music or read a book you like. My kids and I used to dance it out occasionally, and it always seemed to help us refocus!
Carve out time with those you love. Play some games in the yard or at the table, cook or bake together, go for a hike, go to the river or lake and enjoy whatever it is you like, or simply go for a drive. If you have teenagers, they will probably complain but do it anyway! Taking that time with one another eventually leads to talking and laughing, and this allows you all to refocus your energy. The energy goes from all of the things in your life to the people in your life, and that will, in turn, reenergize you!
Our lives are meant to be lived, not merely survived! Remind me of this if you see me sneaking back into survival mode, and I probably will because I am human!
As usual, these are my just thoughts in flow...