On what's helping me survive (Oh summer, you've been a bad friend) - Part 2
So yesterday, I backed up the dump truck and shared a bit about why summer hasn't been the easiest for me. I know I'm not alone in this. The transition to summer can be hard for a lot of us for a variety of reasons.Maybe the summer is when your world started to fall apart because you discovered your husband's secret life.Maybe the summer is difficult because you have littles at home and you feel stretched in many directions.Or maybe you love summer and find nothing wrong with it.
This is much less about summer and much more about figuring out how we can survive during difficult seasons. None of us are immune to hard times. And it's important that when we are in the thick of a hard season, we pin point practicies, activities and rituals to help us survive.
With that, I want to share with you guys, as I have before, some of the things that are helping me survive right now:#1 - Waking up even just 10 minutes before my littles so I can read in the Bible and say what has become a breath prayer as of late. (I feel so churchy sharing this one. Please don't be too impressed...back in 2012 I decided I wanted to read through the entire Bible and I'm STILL in the Old Testament! This practice definitely is one that ebbs and flows. It just so happens that it's flowing right now.) To make this happen, I have a little spot in the living room where I keep my Bible and study guides. I plop down on the couch every morning, curl up in a blanket, and literally try to read one chapter at a time. Yesterday, I was sharing with Jason some of the the things that are helping me survive. When I shared this one...he said, "Ten minutes? I thought thirty minutes." Me: "No babe. Ten minutes. That's it." (I might have then snapped my fingers and waved my arm in Jason's face. Maybe.)
#2 - I mentioned above the breath prayer that seems to help keep me focused on what matters most. Every morning, I pray that God would use me for His purposes. That I'd be His hands and feet. I remind myself that His plans are better than mine. A surrender of sorts. And that I want to follow His path and His purposes for me. This has really helped me stay centered and grounded. Otherwise, I start to to feel like I'm being stretched like Gumby. I want to chase after what God has put on my heart ministry-wise, but then realize He has given me these three sweet boys and an energetic husband to care for. I can't do it all and when I start to behave as if I can, it's not healthy for any of us here in this house of mine.#3 - Planning out in advance the days each week that I am going to exercise. If you struggle with anxiety like I do, exercise is by far one of the best tools to combat it. With summer here and my alone time feeling compressed, knowing that I have that hour reserved four days a week to hit the pavement or take a class soothes my soul and lowers my anxiety.#4 - Picking one or two things that help me feel fully alive and making sure I fit them into my schedule no matter what. This is not something I've been good at lately. It seems I've had just enough time to tackle the must-do's on my to-do's and I'm not building in any margin for the things on my list that feed my soul. I'm reading Hands Free Mama by Rachel Stafford which seems to be driving this home even more. In the book, she talks about developing a life-list - a list of activities that are most valuable and important to you. Her suggestion? Burn the to-do list and start making sure everyday that you are investing time in the activities on your life list.
And that, my friends, is why I put the to-do list to the side, picked up my laptop and started writing.What about you? What are you doing today that is helping you survive this season of your life? Let's share our ideas here. I promise you - taking the time to identify what is helping you survive right now or what you'd like to add to your non-negotiable summer survival list could be just the thing you need to get over the hump.xo-Shelley