Starting and Ending our Days Well
Hello Ladies!Weyall, I had every intention of getting this out last week but - and it's a BIG but, this is where my computer was situated by Friday mid-day.
If you have no idea what you are looking at, let me tell you - you are looking at my 4 week NEW laptop in a Pyrex dish of rice. (Don't mind me, I'm just going to rock back and forth in the fetal position a little while longer.)Here's the situation: I was innocently moving my glass of water from the left side of my computer to the right and a small, almost unnoticeable splash of H2O spilled on my keyboard. I thought - meh, no big deal, until about ten minutes later when my computer started FREAKING out. Calling Apple not once but twice was incredibly humbling and after a friend prayed over my computer (I'm exaggerating a little), a rice bath, and a weekend of me recuperating from the pain of it all, I'm elated to report that both me AND my laptop are back up and going this morning.Oh, and the water I keep by my side? It's currently about 10 feet from my computer with a spill-proof lid (sippy cup, anyone?!) securing it from going anywhere but inside my mouth.M'kay.Now that I've shared that, I'm ready to move on.Girls, I have six weeks under my belt of the littles being back in school (2 in elementary and 1 in preschool and just to be clear, it's not full-day preschool and just to clear, it just started 4 weeks ago - but I'm not bitter or anything) and I must say - I am realizing that staying on task and having some sort or a routine is key, people.
In addition, I believe the hours just before bed and upon waking up are the MOST critical. Now, please don't give me credit for this realization. I heard about it here and thought, I think they're on to something! I'll link to it if I ever come across it again.No matter where you are at on this journey, being intentional about self-care is key and the evening and morning hours - they will help us either sink.... or swim.So let's talk morning. I set my alarm using my iPhone and I realized recently I've been getting in this terrible horrible habit of turning off the alarm (after hitting snooze for an undisclosed number of times, ahem) and then trying to check my texts and emails. Girls, I am literally barely able to see - I usually have one eye that won't even open, and I'm trying my darndest to find out what in the world I might have missed during the night. News flash - the texts and emails can wait! So, kinda like when I used to weigh myself first thing in the morning, I had to ask my go-to girls to hold me accountable to NOT look at my phone first thing. Sheesh.Instead, I put on some warm clothes ('cause Fall has suddenly arrived) and cuddle on the couch with a blanket to read a bit. As of last Thursday, I started working my way through this study because as most of you know, I am obsessed with KM. We would so be besties if I lived in Nashville. I told her this once when I met her. She backed away a good 3 feet.Something about those 5-25 minutes on the couch starts my day off in the very best possible way. Grounded, Truth-filled, I see the world through a different set of eyes and it's so so good.Now let's talk evening - this one is harder for me. I could share my best case scenario with you - but as I sit here and think about my evenings, I have to chuckle. Because best case and reality are so so far from each other.Best case: boys are in bed by 7:30, asleep by 7:31, not a peep or a stir. I whip up a homemade dessert and then sit fireside with Jason as we ponder our day and share our insights. Time goes so slowly, I wonder if my watch is in need of a battery replacement. Jason says all the right things and we are nothing but feeling the love. I take a warm shower and get into bed and read a little. Jason asks if he can rub my back and I fall asleep to this....bahaha!!!Reality: boys get into bed, finally, after what seems like an eternity of asking them to take off their clothes, go potty and brush their teeth. Once they are in bed, they pop out of bed about 73 times to ask if they can go poop, look for a toy, or cuddle. Jason and I agree that our conversation will have to wait until we are 54 or so, the age when our youngest might go off to college. I cuddle with each of them and then they continue to pop out of bed until I threaten them with their lives. It's pushing 10pm so I take a shower and fall into bed. Jason is already asleep next to me.Clearly I have some work to do here.So what about for you? Have you found a morning and evening routine that is helping you get through the rest of your day? I'd love to hear and for you to share with the rest of the readers here - what do you do to start and end your day on the right foot?Maybe it's just me, but I'm thinking - if we can sandwich our days with some really wholesome, inspiring, grounded and intentional things - wouldn't it make a big difference the rest of the time? Especially for those of you that are either early in the journey or smack dab in the middle of it - sometimes it's the small tweaks that can make such a big difference.xo - Shelley