Challenge - Week 7 & 8

Week Seven into my challenge and I call a big, fat, giant redo! Backing up a little, there was certainly joy to be found...a full day getting to know a new friend and liking what I found. Pleased with myself that I stepped out of my comfort zone and made my own play date. The house is also certainly becoming more joy-filled...Tim is pleased that his basement is coming together and retaining it's testosterone. Challenge items checked.

The call for redo circled around my children this week. I found myself feeling like the red-headed step child (no offense to red-headed step children). Seemingly good things went unappreciated and like a sleepy toddler, I declared a end to all nice things...forever. As if. In hind sight, I realize doing nice things doesn't always generate the excitement you expect. Realistically, I have two elevated and amazing children and I should realize that bad days, or several bad days are par for the teenage course.

A secondary redo is called and retracted for the process of fluffing our nest. Eleven years of primer in our bedroom was finally refreshed with a calming coat of grey paint. The process required dresser drawers being removed, drop cloths laid, switch plates removed, heavy furniture moved from it's very fixed spot...One task requiring two or three additional steps...very 'If You Give A Mouse A Cookie' type of a process. Knee deep in Spring Cleaning needy furniture while Tim diligently painted. Waiting for the swan to emerge from the ugly and very dusty duckling. Walls finished and furniture replaced, I'm happy with our new space. Piles gone, dust removed, it's a sweet, love-filled place. Framing Tim's artwork to present a meaningful view versus a quickly bought massed-produced print. Another often passed room now features yellow curtains that spill butter colored light over a pair of rustic piggies that make me chuckle. I suppose with any new growth, some pains must occur. Accepting the pain and waiting patiently for the grand reveal.

 

Week Eight brought me far too much free time. Feeling like a spoiled-first-world-stay-at-home mom, but with too much free time comes waste. Finding days that are structured are more productive. By mid-week, I realized I needed a schedule. Something I can rely on to fill my days. Work out, devotions, time-structured cleaning (or else I'd clean all day or not at all), leaving time for errands, writing, volunteering, or an impromptu lunch.

Too much time also left excess space for thinking and dwelling. Easter was tough...her loss heavy in the meaningful songs during church service, while preparing a meal for the family, and resisting the urge to call her. Instead of dwelling, I sought out a space to volunteer. Hoping that helping others will redirect my pains. My problems aren't nearly as all-consuming and destructive as others. Choosing to spread the love instead of keeping it hidden under a depressed and broken basket.

Challenge - Week Three

This week began on a massive high...a gluttonous weekend with Tim's college buds. An 18 year tradition, we travel 5 hours to snowy Cazenovia, NY and eat, drink, laugh, sleep and repeat. Laughter is truly healing for the soul. Sweet conversations, good-natured teasing...it filled my cup. Over-whelming at times, though, the sounds, cross-table banter..once I swore I saw Mom across the restaurant with her salt and pepper hair and silly bird and bunny embossed mock turtleneck sweatshirt. It was another customer, but the resemblance took the air right from my lungs.

The remaining weekdays were detox and slightly manic. Highly productive, but working myself to
exhaustion.  Efforts to organize created a domino effect leaving more and more to accomplish. A juicer purchase required an entire kitchen cabinet shuffle for space. (More on the juicer later). Basement is inching closer to Tim's perfect man-cave, however. Each weekend is another step towards a finished project. Baby steps.

 

As for my other challenges, I enforced screen-free hours and became the instant wicked witch, but the transformation was priceless...I witnessed the rare moments of watching sister teach brother how to play a ….wait for it....card game! How entirely old-school! She was so patient and he was so eager to learn. Mission accomplished.
 

As for the final bullet item of making plans for vacation time with the family, summer seems to be consumed with baseball tournaments, but I've dipped my toes into the idea of traveling cross country. There are so many beautiful things to show the kids and before I know it, oldest will have her own license and won't want to be couped up with us. Dream plan is to fly west, rent an RV and visit the Grand Canyon. It's been daughters dream vacation for years...fingers crossed we can make it happen.

 

 

Challenge - Week Two

 Perfectly content to hibernate indoors, hidden away from people, quietly cleaning and organizing...Each day this week, I had to push past my comfy default to get out of the house, meet people, speak to others... a constant renewing of the mind to speak only positive, to move forward, seeking joy, spreading love. It doesn't always come naturally...but any good thing requires work. So, each day I gave myself a little pep talk...get out there, talk, listen, share, love. Moving in the right direction, until I owned it.

My week was looking pretty phenomenal until the busy days closed in and I worried I had over-booked. One event stacked after another, until the universe intervened and snow canceled most plans leaving only the most important. I savored a long lunch and shopping with a friend, played some killer ping-pong, cheered daughter's first sports banquet, comforted a mourning friend, and listened as a brave friend poured out her difficult history to a room full of young moms. I searched and found some cute furniture to tidy up a few more piles, and helped Tim paint more of the basement (relieved he decided to keep the color). Each venture filled my cup, leaving me better off than I started. Hoping that I was able to give as much as I received.

Each day was a new struggle, however. A new opportunity to choose sadness or joy, dark or light. Not depression, but close. However, a special someone  is struggling desperately with depression...finding it difficult each day to peel back the covers and place her feet on solid ground. Attempting to fill the void with food, weepy and sleepy most of the day. Your mind and body scream stay put...fight it, sweet girl. You are meant for more than this. Rise, find some small thing to be thankful for, put one foot in front of the other and live. Don't merely exist. Make connections, find something that brings you joy, breathe, pray, move. This, too, shall pass.

Challenge - Week One

Week one into my challenge...no earth shattering changes occurred, but incremental steps in the right direction. Task one was successfully accomplished as the majority of each day began with dedicated time with just me, my Bible and God. I sweetly ushered the kids off for school, made myself some tea, and settled down in my sacred spot. I'm in Psalms...David is being sought after by blood thirsty assassins. Why so downcast oh my soul...he's having a really bad day. My chapter finished, I tip my head back and offer up some gratitude for that day. Thankful for healthy family, thankful that Tim has a fruitful job allowing me to stay home, thankful that Mom is with Him. I can only imagine the joy she must be feeling right now. I linger a bit, thankful for blessings to come and open eyes to see them..I find myself calm, focused, ready to attack the day.

Task two... quality time with the family seemed strangely awkward, something that needed to be guided with much intention. Kids were confused by my suggestion to play a long unopened board

game. Son says that's why they're called bored games. They played along, however, and he even sat nearby to make sure I didn't cheat thru round two. It is truly much easier to sit and stare at the phone...all the possibilities of games, information, crafty inspiration. I felt a magnetic pull drawling me back to check endlessly...like swinging open the fridge door hoping for something magical to appear. Must resist the pull (said in my best Captain Kirk voice). Instead, I played the music loud and made some brownies. A good country song inspired a solo two-step, son didn't want to join in, but he was watchin' and a-grinnin'.

Setting aside time for three friends and one unexpected connection was a sweet treat. We caught up and sat eye-to-eye, not once to tell Facebook where I was or stopping to take a selfie. Their stories magnificent, rich, sometimes heavy creating such thoughtful human beings. Communication is truly an art..one that needs to be honed and appreciated. I adore friends that ask meaningful questions and find myself doing more of the same. We shared hugs, held hands when one of us needed that extra squeeze, and left feeling filled to the brim.

My next task of completing annoying tasks was, well, annoying. I suppose that's why I've procrastinated. I've been sitting on a complicated insurance issue that I knew would require several lengthy phone calls. I bit the bullet, made the calls, explained too many times, and soon after, the problem was resolved. Everyone satisfied and thankfully off my plate forever! One less nagging task in my must-do pile. Another task was painting our 11-year-primer-white basement. A little too ambitious with this task, I set aside a snowy afternoon and for three hours I attacked walls. Sadly, the color is not making hubby happy. His manly basement a little too girlie. So, that task will most likely need to be redone...lesson learned, paint small area for approval first.

Overall, this first week of my challenge I find myself feeling very productive, very intentional. Inspiring myself to live smarter, kinder, with more love. Making connections with family and friends before time passes by. Using precious time more efficiently but at the same time, filling the quiet gaps with soul searching, laughter, and making sweet memories.  Encouraging more of the same this coming week.

 

 

Silver Lining Challenge

Not being a professional on the topic of life change, I've decided to go with what I know...myself. I'll report what I've done, what changes I've made, and the results that issue forth. One thing is true...change has occurred and there's no returning to the sleepy days of coasting thru life. I'm newly aware and anything else will just appear bland. Hopefully, you'll harvest something inspirational from my findings and incorporate something new into your own life. Here's what I'll be up to:

• Spending 10 min reading the Bible and having a nice, quiet dialogue with God each morning sets the tone for my day. It weeds out the unnecessary and fills me up to the brim with a whole different level of love and peace. I'm able to share a genuine love not one that is tinny or fabricated. Only then can I properly proceed with my day. 

 

• Spending time with family...good, intentional, phones down, eye gazing, ears and hearts open quality time. Daughter has called me out on excessive phone use...our smart phones have created time and attention sucks. My plan is to set a maximum screen time for the day the rest will include old-school activities...games, books (gasp!), crafts, and outdoor activities...good old fashioned memory making.

 

• Setting aside time for friends...each week, I'll meet up with at least one friend for uninterrupted quality time. Too often I've promised friends to set a date only to have life rush forward with no time spent. I've learned that if you have the prompting to reach out to a friend, that you should always follow through. There are so many souls with fabulous stories...I aim to spread love and joy one person at a time.

 

• Completing all annoying tasks...I have an exhausting list of unfinished tasks...pictures never framed, paint never applied, rooms unfinished. One by one, they will be completed so that when I pass by, I will no longer feel guilt but joy. I am surrounding myself with things that make me (and my family) happy! If it doesn't bring joy, out it goes!

 

• No longer living vicariously thru others. I will be researching, saving for, and fulfilling our family wish / bucket list items. Children will soon be grown and no longer wish to be seen with us. Memories are itching to be made. Life is indeed too short to wait for a more perfect time.

So this is my personal challenge...I'll keep you posted on my developments! If you're feeling motivated, play along and keep me updated as well! Much love and success to you, my friend!