As February quickly comes to a close, much faster than I anticipated, it’s time for me to do a little reflection. The year started off a bit rocky, but once I got into (sort of) the rhythm of school and work balancing, everything outside of those two things seemed to fall more into place. That’s not to say things have been easy so far, because they haven’t been. Not even close. Stress and worry have been at a super level, but on the flip side of that, I’ve been so blessed to have comfort, joy and even a little relaxation.
Under no circumstances have my goals been easy to achieve, nor have I done them all perfectly. Hell, some of them I’ve barely done at all. But in my head, that’s ok. It’s just part of the process… learning what works and what doesn’t in my hectic life. With that being said, here’s the rundown of my goals and how well I have done so far:
– Be authentic- My overall goal- I’ve really come to accept my limitations and my strengths, as well as the fact that I’m ok being the odd bird and I embrace it.
– Outside chaos is inside chaos: declutter, organize, clean- My wonderful man has really helped out with this, since, I’m just too busy and rushed all the time to keep up with this task. He’s been amazing at helping me around the house and even organizing my messy desk for me. I’m so grateful for his support and help, especially in this area.
– Practice makes perfect, do it until it’s right: learn a new skill- I think my skill that I’m trying to master is a combination of patience and acceptance. I have been playing the hurry up and wait game for several weeks now with a few things and it’s taken a unbelievable amount of patience to not completely flip out or cave under the stress. Acceptance because I’m having to accept that I cannot control every aspect of certain situations. These have been very trying, but I’m getting there.
– 15 minute miracles: A.M. yoga, meditation P.M. talking, cleaning- These have been tough to get going too. I’m either running around super busy, or collapsing on the couch in an effort to see my love for a few minutes before bed. Yoga hasn’t happened… not more than once. I’m really sad about that, but I’ve tackled my trouble with meditation. I’ve decided that I was going about it all wrong and took a different view. I need to go back to that “Be Authentic” thing and realize that while unconventional, like myself, my choice of meditation is also. It’s not an everyday meditative practice, and that’s ok too. But the days that I get to skate, is all I need to get me through the rest of the week. Last weekend was a prime example. Skating was perfect. (I play roller derby). Talking with my honey has proven to be exactly what we need to reconnect and revive our tired connections. We don’t spend every single day chatting in our room, but most days we at least mute the tv and have a few minutes of “quality” time talking about our days or nothing important at all. It’s been really great. And finally, I’ve discovered that cleaning at night, even for 15 minutes on a regular basis, is impossible. It’s got to be in the morning when I first get up, or it’s just not happening. :)
– Look good, feel good: dress for success- So, I’m still rocking the tee shirts and jeans. But I have made it a point to buy better jeans and wear more sweaters that cover my punk rock band shirts. I’ve tried to incorporate things like scarves to my wardrobe too… dress up my everyday wear just a little.
– Meditate in a way that works for me: try different techniques- I’ve heard everything can be meditative. I believe this to a point. There’s no part of cleaning the cat litter box that strikes me as peaceful, but to each their own. I have however, found that my morning routine is quite nice though. The house generally quiet as the dogs are slowly waking up, putting together my coffee pot and creating my daily smoothie… very good for clearing the mind. Also, writing has really helped with not only my search for meditation, but also lowering my stress level on several occasions.
Anyway, that’s my rundown as the month creeps to a close. I’m excited for March to come in so I can start to focus on some new things, gain new insight and maybe even a new skill. We shall see! <3
( The above picture from: http://www.daniellemhayes.com/goals-safe-scary/)
