What to do when life (and lice!) thwart your dream chasing

It’s been a rough week. 

This is our family’s first year doing school at home. Last semester my husband and I divided and conquered, each taking two kids.  This semester, he’s buried in tax returns, my kids have turned into monsters who hate learning, and I’m on my own. It’s tough, but I’ve been managing.  

And then the lice came. 

It was just in one kid, but I did the oily shampoo treatment for everyone in the family, including combing hair for hours afterward. Then I stripped all the sheets and blankets, banished stuffed animals to bins in the garage, boiled brushes and combs and laundered every article of clothing in our house. We got through it. 

Three weeks later my best friend let me know her family had lice. These are the kids that play with my kids everyday- rollerskating, swimming and I assume smashing their heads together to make lice transfer as easy as possible. I checked my kiddos and sure enough, they all had lice again.

The scraps of writing time I had were consumed by laundry, shampooing and combing. I felt frustrated, overwhelmed and angry. I wanted to give up on everything- momming, writing, having hair. 

Progress on my writing project stopped completely. Not only did I have no time, I had no energy. 

It may not be lice that thwarts your work (and I hope with all my heart that it isn’t) but it may be unexpected guests, a change in you or your partner’s employment, health challenges, or any number of other interruptions. 

It will suck. You will feel frustrated and angry. You may cry in your closet (did it), yell at your kids (did it), or shave your head (was sorely tempted). 

Give yourself permission to step away from your dream and sort through whatever mess has sprung up unexpectedly in your life. Go easy on yourself and be realistic about what, if anything, you can get done while this new obstacle is in play. 

Then when it’s resolved, return to your dream chasing with a grateful heart. And hopefully an itch-free head.