A couple days ago, Jon challenged us to cut our goals in half for the month. Ah, like music to my ears.
I was honestly running out of blog topics, and this has given me an opportunity to regroup and really look at what I'm trying to do, and what's keeping me from doing those things.
Right on cue, Jon sent us yesterday's challenge: Figure out your triggers. What will knock you off track? What keeps you from accomplishing your goals?
And then today's challenge: Make a plan for how to deal with those triggers.
So here it goes:
When it comes to my life in general, anything outside of a "normal" schedule gets me off track. This week, I watched a baby in my home for three days. She was sweet, and easy, and absolutely adorable. But the day after she left, I crashed. I did absolutely nothing that I absolutely didn't have to do. Absolutely.
So then when I woke up on Friday morning, my house was a wreck, I was a day behind on, well, life. I was able to get a lot done on Friday, but this Saturday morning, we're still feeling the effects of my "day off" in the middle of the week. (Ok, seriously, I'm going to do those dishes today. No, really.)
But the thing is this: I never, ever, ever - like, ever - have a week with a "normal" schedule. There's always something. Fun things. Like hanging with friends, going to the park with kids, taking a last-minute trip to the zoo. And not so fun things. Like doctor's appointments or car repairs.
So I can't blame, ya know, life for getting in the way of, ya know. life.
And I certainly can't use it as an excuse for just taking a day off in the middle of the week.
The more I have thought about this "trigger," the more I think the answer is found in the Word, and in something I have written about before.
Sabbath.
Sigh. Months later, and I still haven't figured out how to do that. But I think if I had a guaranteed Sabbath each week, I could use that when temptation comes a-calling. I could say, "I have a Sabbath in 'x' number of days. I can make it until then!"
What I also know is this: Sabbath rest is so much better than "day off" rest. I don't know why. I just know that when I declare a day of the week my "Sabbath" and stick to it, I feel rested and at peace. When I randomly decide to take a day "off," I end the day feeling like a failure and making lists of all the things that could have been done during that "wasted" day. I often feel more drained at the end of those days than when I started.
So this morning I am resolved. I'm going to get my house in shape. I'm going to make a big pot of chilli for tomorrow's lunch. I'm going to do whatever I need to do today, so that tomorrow I can take a Sabbath. A real Sabbath. A holy day. Set apart.
I'm sure there are other triggers (I'm looking at you, facebook!), but those will have to wait for another time, another day. Because today has already been claimed.
Love you all! Keep on hustling!
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Today, Tonight, and Tomorrow
Today I...
... Overslept.
... Didn't wash my dishes or my laundry.
... Didn't make my bed.
... Fed my kids spaghetti-O's, from a can, unheated.
... Spent 65% of my time on the couch, with a heating pad, hoarding a Dove dark chocolate bar.
... Didn't exercise.
... Am only blogging because my husband turned off the TV and forced me to open the computer.
Tonight I...
... Am making a list of all the things I did right today.
.... .... like getting in a complete day of homeschool, even if it was from the couch.
.... .... like loving on someone else's baby, in my home, in addition to my own babies.
.... .... like drinking lots of water.
.... .... like making it through the day without going postal on any member of my family.
... Am grateful that I'm allowed to stay home, with a heating pad, and chocolate, and my kids.
... Am going to spend time with Jesus.
... Am laying my head on the pillow, with no regrets. Honest.
Tomorrow I...
... Get a fresh start.
... Receive new mercies.
... Start my 2014 Vision Board.
... Reconnect with the energetic, non-hormonal, normal "me."
... Love my family.
... Love my Jesus.
... Love myself.
... Hustle on.
... Overslept.
... Didn't wash my dishes or my laundry.
... Didn't make my bed.
... Fed my kids spaghetti-O's, from a can, unheated.
... Spent 65% of my time on the couch, with a heating pad, hoarding a Dove dark chocolate bar.
... Didn't exercise.
... Am only blogging because my husband turned off the TV and forced me to open the computer.
Tonight I...
... Am making a list of all the things I did right today.
.... .... like getting in a complete day of homeschool, even if it was from the couch.
.... .... like loving on someone else's baby, in my home, in addition to my own babies.
.... .... like drinking lots of water.
.... .... like making it through the day without going postal on any member of my family.
... Am grateful that I'm allowed to stay home, with a heating pad, and chocolate, and my kids.
... Am going to spend time with Jesus.
... Am laying my head on the pillow, with no regrets. Honest.
Tomorrow I...
... Get a fresh start.
... Receive new mercies.
... Start my 2014 Vision Board.
... Reconnect with the energetic, non-hormonal, normal "me."
... Love my family.
... Love my Jesus.
... Love myself.
... Hustle on.
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Hope in the Hustle
I rolled out of bed at 6:07am. We're seeing some improvement, people. Yes, we are.
However, it is now 10:20pm, and I'm just now getting to the blogging part of the day. Oh well.
Today God has been reminding me to hope, even in the hustle, even in famine, even in the hunkering down.
I'm going to write some verses here. Bear with me.
From Genesis 12:
Dude.
God told Abram to go. And Abram, in his amazing faith, picked up his wife and home and followed a new God to an unknown land. No questions. No doubt. No complaining.
And when he got there? Famine. And not just any famine, a "hard famine."
Can I just say, my heart twists up inside itself when I read that verse. Because I have been there. I have looked at life and said, "God called me here. And now there's famine in the land."
It's backwards. It doesn't make sense.
But then we keep reading. (I'll sum up the next part.)
Abram and his wife Sarai go to Egypt. Abram is scared he'll be killed because his wife is so beautiful. So he lies and says she's his sister. Pharaoh takes wife. Pharaoh is cursed. Pharaoh learns the truth and is all, "What the heck, Abe? Why'd you lie like that? Take your wife and your junk and get outta town, yo!"
Then Pharaoh gives them a booty-load of riches and sends them on their way. Back to the land God promised.
Now this next part is pure speculation on my part, but as I read this passage, Abram's choices make sense to me. At least, I can understand where he might be coming from.
He faithfully followed God into a land wrought with famine. If this God wouldn't protect him from that, who's to say he would protect him from a jealous, lusty Pharaoh? So Abram took matters into his own hands (a pattern we see over and over in his life, by the way).
I get that. I understand self-preservation when God is clearly not following through on His promises. I have been there.
But here's the thing. The famine drove them to Egypt, which lead them to Pharaoh, who gave them a gazillion dollars just to leave his country - to return to the Promised Land. (Ok, so I'm not sure it was exactly a gazillion, and I'm pretty sure they didn't have dollars. But you get my point.)
I guess what I'm saying is this, to you, to myself: don't lose hope in the famine. Don't lose hope when your faith falters. Don't lose hope when you take things into your own hands and royally screw everything up. Don't lose hope when you're afraid. Don't lose hope when God isn't fulfilling His promises.
Because our God uses the famine. He uses the screw ups. He uses the fear. And He. Keeps. His. Promises. Above and beyond what we can imagine.
So tonight I'm going to bed, later than I should and with a list of unfinished tasks awaiting me in the morning. Regardless, I'm ending the day with this thought: I have hope for tomorrow. Hope for my future. And hope to see God's promises fulfilled.
Goodnight, y'all. Keep on hustlin'.
However, it is now 10:20pm, and I'm just now getting to the blogging part of the day. Oh well.
Today God has been reminding me to hope, even in the hustle, even in famine, even in the hunkering down.
I'm going to write some verses here. Bear with me.
From Genesis 12:
(1) God told Abram, "Leave your country, your family, and your father's home for a land I will show you."
(4) So Abram left just as God said.
[Abram arrives at the Promised Land]
(7) God appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your children.” Abram built an altar at the place God had appeared to him.
(10) Then a famine came to the land. Abram went down to Egypt to live; it was a hard famine.
Dude.
God told Abram to go. And Abram, in his amazing faith, picked up his wife and home and followed a new God to an unknown land. No questions. No doubt. No complaining.
And when he got there? Famine. And not just any famine, a "hard famine."
Can I just say, my heart twists up inside itself when I read that verse. Because I have been there. I have looked at life and said, "God called me here. And now there's famine in the land."
It's backwards. It doesn't make sense.
But then we keep reading. (I'll sum up the next part.)
Abram and his wife Sarai go to Egypt. Abram is scared he'll be killed because his wife is so beautiful. So he lies and says she's his sister. Pharaoh takes wife. Pharaoh is cursed. Pharaoh learns the truth and is all, "What the heck, Abe? Why'd you lie like that? Take your wife and your junk and get outta town, yo!"
Then Pharaoh gives them a booty-load of riches and sends them on their way. Back to the land God promised.
Now this next part is pure speculation on my part, but as I read this passage, Abram's choices make sense to me. At least, I can understand where he might be coming from.
He faithfully followed God into a land wrought with famine. If this God wouldn't protect him from that, who's to say he would protect him from a jealous, lusty Pharaoh? So Abram took matters into his own hands (a pattern we see over and over in his life, by the way).
I get that. I understand self-preservation when God is clearly not following through on His promises. I have been there.
But here's the thing. The famine drove them to Egypt, which lead them to Pharaoh, who gave them a gazillion dollars just to leave his country - to return to the Promised Land. (Ok, so I'm not sure it was exactly a gazillion, and I'm pretty sure they didn't have dollars. But you get my point.)
I guess what I'm saying is this, to you, to myself: don't lose hope in the famine. Don't lose hope when your faith falters. Don't lose hope when you take things into your own hands and royally screw everything up. Don't lose hope when you're afraid. Don't lose hope when God isn't fulfilling His promises.
Because our God uses the famine. He uses the screw ups. He uses the fear. And He. Keeps. His. Promises. Above and beyond what we can imagine.
So tonight I'm going to bed, later than I should and with a list of unfinished tasks awaiting me in the morning. Regardless, I'm ending the day with this thought: I have hope for tomorrow. Hope for my future. And hope to see God's promises fulfilled.
Goodnight, y'all. Keep on hustlin'.
Monday, January 6, 2014
Day 6: The introvert's hustle
Well, my alarm went off at 5:30 this morning. I rolled out of bed at 6:58am. Oops.
This getting up early thing is going to be even harder than I thought.
So here it is 1:25pm, and I am blogging in between feeding babies, giving homeschool instructions, and entertaining an adorable toddler. Time with Jesus may have to wait until bedtime - not my favorite time of day to do anything except, you know, sleep. And exercise may be wishful thinking... unless there is some miraculous moment when all the babes are asleep at the same time, and the kiddos workout with me.
Oy.
Today's assignment was to decide on the "where." I pretty much did that when I decided the "how" and "when." In my living room, beside my fireplace, early in the morning.
It sounds so easy, doesn't it? Hm.
Anyways... today is our first official day back at "school," and I am loving the idea of having a regular routine again. Literature, math, and science are done for the day. Moving on to spelling, grammar, and art in a few minutes. The house is quietly humming away. It's busy, but steady. Just how I like it.
If only everyday could be like this.
I absolutely love days when we all stay home, quietly doing our work, playing, snuggling, and completely ignoring the outside world. To be perfectly honest, I love weeks like that, not just days.
And while part of my 5% is definitely found in loving on my family and keeping peace in my home, there's another part of my 5% that means reaching outside these four walls and building relationships with people other than the ones who live under this roof.
The thing is this: I am an introvert to the core. I have a very limited supply of relational energy, and require a good bit of "alone" time to recharge. So for me, every moment I spend investing in "outside" relationships is a moment taken from the relationship I have with my "inside" people - the ones in my home. And vice versa.
My husband and I have spent a good bit of time over the years learning how to budget our money and resources. We stick to a budget until it no longer works for us (jobs change, needs change, hence, budgets change). We tweak and perfect, until we find what works for our goals, and we do it.
Only now am I beginning to see the need for an energy "budget." I gain/earn energy through alone time and mental "downtime." I spend energy by loving on people and interacting with, you know, the human race.
So my life is usually a pendulum - lots of time investing in relationships means minimum homeschooling and even less housework. OR. Lots of time doing homeschool stuff and keeping a tidy house means not going out with friends, talking on the phone, or - I cringe to admit this - not even responding to text messages.
So somewhere in this year, I want to figure out how to do it all with excellence, because it's all part of my 5%. I want to learn how to fully invest in relationships while still setting boundaries to protect my "recharge" time and my home.
I want to burn bright, without burning out.
I have a feeling a lot of the answer will come when I can finally roll out of bed and do my three things with excellence. Jesus time, exercise, and blogging are all things that give me more energy and clarity. More energy = a bigger budget, and I'm all for that.
In the meantime, I just ordered a book that was recommended to me by a fellow introvert-friend. I'll read it and fill y'all in on the deets. It's going to be good.
For now, I'm happy to stay in my little bubble most day and venture out only when necessary (especially when it's FURR-EEEE-ZZIING here in the South). I'll work on my 5% here, while learning how to manage my 5% out there. It's all good, and full of grace, with no condemnation. Just workin' out my salvation, y'all.
So hustle on, dear readers, hustle on.
This getting up early thing is going to be even harder than I thought.
So here it is 1:25pm, and I am blogging in between feeding babies, giving homeschool instructions, and entertaining an adorable toddler. Time with Jesus may have to wait until bedtime - not my favorite time of day to do anything except, you know, sleep. And exercise may be wishful thinking... unless there is some miraculous moment when all the babes are asleep at the same time, and the kiddos workout with me.
Oy.
Today's assignment was to decide on the "where." I pretty much did that when I decided the "how" and "when." In my living room, beside my fireplace, early in the morning.
It sounds so easy, doesn't it? Hm.
Anyways... today is our first official day back at "school," and I am loving the idea of having a regular routine again. Literature, math, and science are done for the day. Moving on to spelling, grammar, and art in a few minutes. The house is quietly humming away. It's busy, but steady. Just how I like it.
If only everyday could be like this.
I absolutely love days when we all stay home, quietly doing our work, playing, snuggling, and completely ignoring the outside world. To be perfectly honest, I love weeks like that, not just days.
And while part of my 5% is definitely found in loving on my family and keeping peace in my home, there's another part of my 5% that means reaching outside these four walls and building relationships with people other than the ones who live under this roof.
The thing is this: I am an introvert to the core. I have a very limited supply of relational energy, and require a good bit of "alone" time to recharge. So for me, every moment I spend investing in "outside" relationships is a moment taken from the relationship I have with my "inside" people - the ones in my home. And vice versa.
My husband and I have spent a good bit of time over the years learning how to budget our money and resources. We stick to a budget until it no longer works for us (jobs change, needs change, hence, budgets change). We tweak and perfect, until we find what works for our goals, and we do it.
Only now am I beginning to see the need for an energy "budget." I gain/earn energy through alone time and mental "downtime." I spend energy by loving on people and interacting with, you know, the human race.
So my life is usually a pendulum - lots of time investing in relationships means minimum homeschooling and even less housework. OR. Lots of time doing homeschool stuff and keeping a tidy house means not going out with friends, talking on the phone, or - I cringe to admit this - not even responding to text messages.
So somewhere in this year, I want to figure out how to do it all with excellence, because it's all part of my 5%. I want to learn how to fully invest in relationships while still setting boundaries to protect my "recharge" time and my home.
I want to burn bright, without burning out.
I have a feeling a lot of the answer will come when I can finally roll out of bed and do my three things with excellence. Jesus time, exercise, and blogging are all things that give me more energy and clarity. More energy = a bigger budget, and I'm all for that.
In the meantime, I just ordered a book that was recommended to me by a fellow introvert-friend. I'll read it and fill y'all in on the deets. It's going to be good.
For now, I'm happy to stay in my little bubble most day and venture out only when necessary (especially when it's FURR-EEEE-ZZIING here in the South). I'll work on my 5% here, while learning how to manage my 5% out there. It's all good, and full of grace, with no condemnation. Just workin' out my salvation, y'all.
So hustle on, dear readers, hustle on.
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Day 5: The wrench in my hustle
I'm starting to get why we were instructed to pick only one thing. Today ends with two of my three items completed - blogging and Jesus time.
How fitting that today Jon Acuff told us to focus on the "When" of our goals - on a large and small scale.
He specifically recommended that we circle the "problem" days we might anticipate for the month, and work out a plan for those days.
Clearly, I need this.
I know already that my "problem" days are days that my husband is home (weekends, holidays, etc.).
I guess I should clarify that my husband is not the problem. It's simply that when he's home, things relax a little. And that fact, I don't want to change.
I love that we all sleep a little later, and ease into our day, and cook a big breakfast, and spend time outside (if it's nice weather) or playing family games on the Wii (if it's bad weather). I love days that he is home, but I also recognize that those are usually the days that I miss my quiet time, spend little-to-no time on my blog, and only exercise if it's part of our family plan (like walking around Shelby Farms or the zoo.)
When I think about the changes I want to see happen in 2014, I recognize that - in the long run - I probably will not blog on days when he's off work. I probably will not spend an hour or more working out at the gym. But "Jesus time" is a must every day.
And I have committed to doing all three, everyday, for 30 days. It's a season of hustle and push and stretch, and so I am committed to figuring out how to do it.
Once again, I think the answer is going to be found in the mornings.
We take turns "sleeping in" on alternate Saturday mornings. So I think my plan is to treat my "get-up-with-the-kids" Saturday like any other day, and try to get up 1.5 hours before anyone else does. That way I can go ahead and knock out my three items before the day even gets good and started.
On my "I-get-to-sleep-in" Saturdays, when I normally get to sleep until 9am, I will go ahead and get up at 8am in order to at least spend some time with Jesus and get in 30 minutes of exercise (the blogging part can happen in the evening after the kiddos are in the bed). Sure, I'm giving up an extra hour of sleep, but 8am is still 2.5 hours more sleep than what I would normally get during the week.
I am determined to figure this out. I want it all. Consistency. Energy. Character. Quality.
I want the patience and joy and vision that comes from spending time with my Jesus.
I want the energy and clarity and sense of accomplishment that comes with exercising.
I want the discipline and creative flow that comes with writing every day.
And I want to have ALL of those things without neglecting my house, my children, my husband, or my relationships.
It's 9:39pm. Nine minutes past my self-imposed bedtime, and only 21 minutes until my self-imposed "lights out" time.
G'night all. 5:30am comes early. Let's hustle!
How fitting that today Jon Acuff told us to focus on the "When" of our goals - on a large and small scale.
He specifically recommended that we circle the "problem" days we might anticipate for the month, and work out a plan for those days.
Clearly, I need this.
I know already that my "problem" days are days that my husband is home (weekends, holidays, etc.).
I guess I should clarify that my husband is not the problem. It's simply that when he's home, things relax a little. And that fact, I don't want to change.
I love that we all sleep a little later, and ease into our day, and cook a big breakfast, and spend time outside (if it's nice weather) or playing family games on the Wii (if it's bad weather). I love days that he is home, but I also recognize that those are usually the days that I miss my quiet time, spend little-to-no time on my blog, and only exercise if it's part of our family plan (like walking around Shelby Farms or the zoo.)
When I think about the changes I want to see happen in 2014, I recognize that - in the long run - I probably will not blog on days when he's off work. I probably will not spend an hour or more working out at the gym. But "Jesus time" is a must every day.
And I have committed to doing all three, everyday, for 30 days. It's a season of hustle and push and stretch, and so I am committed to figuring out how to do it.
Once again, I think the answer is going to be found in the mornings.
We take turns "sleeping in" on alternate Saturday mornings. So I think my plan is to treat my "get-up-with-the-kids" Saturday like any other day, and try to get up 1.5 hours before anyone else does. That way I can go ahead and knock out my three items before the day even gets good and started.
On my "I-get-to-sleep-in" Saturdays, when I normally get to sleep until 9am, I will go ahead and get up at 8am in order to at least spend some time with Jesus and get in 30 minutes of exercise (the blogging part can happen in the evening after the kiddos are in the bed). Sure, I'm giving up an extra hour of sleep, but 8am is still 2.5 hours more sleep than what I would normally get during the week.
I am determined to figure this out. I want it all. Consistency. Energy. Character. Quality.
I want the patience and joy and vision that comes from spending time with my Jesus.
I want the energy and clarity and sense of accomplishment that comes with exercising.
I want the discipline and creative flow that comes with writing every day.
And I want to have ALL of those things without neglecting my house, my children, my husband, or my relationships.
It's 9:39pm. Nine minutes past my self-imposed bedtime, and only 21 minutes until my self-imposed "lights out" time.
G'night all. 5:30am comes early. Let's hustle!
Saturday, January 4, 2014
Day 4: Have fun!
Day 1: The What - Get in the Word, move, and blog, every day, for 30 days.
Day 2: The Why - To be a better "me" so I can help create a better "we" in my family and relationships.
Day 3: The How - get up earlier (ugh).
So here's Day 4: Have fun!
Jon Acuff wrote, "Today, figure out a way to add some fun to whatever it is you’re working on for the next 30 days."
Okay.
I mentioned in my last post that I'm finding the "move" part kind of fun, since I'm not restricting myself to certain types of exercise.
Day 1, I worked "movement" into my regular routine. Leg lifts during TV commercials, lunges while blowing my hair dry, arm curls while stirring the soup.
Day 2. I convinced the whole family to join me in doing yoga.
Day 3, kids Zumba on the Wii.
Today (Day 4): Wii fit.
It has been fun to give myself permission to mix it up, and do what I feel like doing, as long as I'm moving.
As for the quiet time, the only thing I can think of is turning on the fireplace. I know this sounds silly, but it's so cold when I first wake up in the morning that I don't want to get out of bed. We typically don't turn on the fire because the cost of gas has gone up so much. But the thought of snuggling up under a blanket, next to the fire, with a cup of coffee in my hand sounds heavenly, and seems like a perfect opportunity to commune with Heaven.
Then there's this here little blog. I don't know how to make this more fun. I might spend some time searching the web for some memes, simply so I don't have to think up a topic to write about. I'm open to advice from any bloggers lurking in the corners out there - comment below and let me know what you think. How can I make this more fun?
That's it for Day 4. I'm enjoying this journey. Tomorrow is church (yay!); then Monday is when the rubber really meets the road. Brandon goes back to work (and back to his crazy work schedule), and I go back to being full-time round-the-clock homeschool mom. This could get interesting...
Day 2: The Why - To be a better "me" so I can help create a better "we" in my family and relationships.
Day 3: The How - get up earlier (ugh).
So here's Day 4: Have fun!
Jon Acuff wrote, "Today, figure out a way to add some fun to whatever it is you’re working on for the next 30 days."
Okay.
I mentioned in my last post that I'm finding the "move" part kind of fun, since I'm not restricting myself to certain types of exercise.
Day 1, I worked "movement" into my regular routine. Leg lifts during TV commercials, lunges while blowing my hair dry, arm curls while stirring the soup.
Day 2. I convinced the whole family to join me in doing yoga.
Day 3, kids Zumba on the Wii.
Today (Day 4): Wii fit.
It has been fun to give myself permission to mix it up, and do what I feel like doing, as long as I'm moving.
As for the quiet time, the only thing I can think of is turning on the fireplace. I know this sounds silly, but it's so cold when I first wake up in the morning that I don't want to get out of bed. We typically don't turn on the fire because the cost of gas has gone up so much. But the thought of snuggling up under a blanket, next to the fire, with a cup of coffee in my hand sounds heavenly, and seems like a perfect opportunity to commune with Heaven.
Then there's this here little blog. I don't know how to make this more fun. I might spend some time searching the web for some memes, simply so I don't have to think up a topic to write about. I'm open to advice from any bloggers lurking in the corners out there - comment below and let me know what you think. How can I make this more fun?
That's it for Day 4. I'm enjoying this journey. Tomorrow is church (yay!); then Monday is when the rubber really meets the road. Brandon goes back to work (and back to his crazy work schedule), and I go back to being full-time round-the-clock homeschool mom. This could get interesting...
Day 3: The How
So yesterday was Day 3, and I only did one out of the three daily tasks I've committed to doing.
Day 1 was about the "what."
Day 2 was about the "why."
Those were easy.
Day 3 was about the "how." Clearly, I need Day 3. I need to figure out how to fit it all into the day.
I looked at my daily schedule, and the bottom line is that there are simply not enough hours to get everything done.
So something has to go. After factoring in my energy levels throughout the day, I realized that by 7pm each day, regardless of what is still left to do, I am pretty much done.
Kids go to bed at 7pm, and my body and mind are worn out by that point in the day. Still, I usually stay up for AT LEAST 3.5 more hours: watching TV, surfing Pinterest, or (if I'm feeling really ambitious) reading a book.
Because I am an introvert and will implode without some downtime each evening, I cannot "schedule" all of that time. But I don't need 3.5 hours to get in the Word, move for 30 minutes, and blog. I only need about 1.5 hours.
So my new plan is this: I am going to go to bed early so that I can wake up 1.5 hours earlier and do my three things, first thing in the morning.
That's 5:30 in the morning. Ugh.
I hate it. Really. Because I looooove my sleep, and I am not a fan of getting up early.
But I have known for a while that this needs to happen. I like to ease into my day. A cup of coffee and Jesus, a little morning yoga, a few minutes surfing the news and blogs, a little writing or planning. This is hard to do when a four-year-old wakes me up with an "I'm hungy RIGHT NOW!" or a baby wakes me up with a leaky diaper or a seven-year-old wakes me up with a bloody mouth due to a pulled tooth. (That really happened.)
So that's the new new plan. Wake up early, knock out the three things, first thing, and go on with my day.
Having said that, here are a few observations from the past three days:
1. Exercise is boring when I'm worried about what I'm "supposed" to be doing (legs, arms, cardio, resistance, etc.). When I pick what I "want" to do, it's a whole lot more fun. And at least I'm moving, which is better than not moving. It is.
2. Getting in the Word is easy and makes a difference in my day. I just finished reading The Divine Mentor by Wayne Cordeiro (highly recommended), and he broke it down in such a simple format. I am loving my quiet time, and felt the lack when I wasn't able to do it yesterday.
3. Blogging is boring when I do it every day. My posts are boring. My writing is boring. My heart is not in it. I'm going to finish out the 30 days (only 27 days left!), but I may gain something unexpected in the process: the realization that daily writing is not for me. We shall see.
That's it. That's the end. I told you it's boring. But sneak peak to Day 4: it's all about some fun!
Day 1 was about the "what."
Day 2 was about the "why."
Those were easy.
Day 3 was about the "how." Clearly, I need Day 3. I need to figure out how to fit it all into the day.
I looked at my daily schedule, and the bottom line is that there are simply not enough hours to get everything done.
So something has to go. After factoring in my energy levels throughout the day, I realized that by 7pm each day, regardless of what is still left to do, I am pretty much done.
Kids go to bed at 7pm, and my body and mind are worn out by that point in the day. Still, I usually stay up for AT LEAST 3.5 more hours: watching TV, surfing Pinterest, or (if I'm feeling really ambitious) reading a book.
Because I am an introvert and will implode without some downtime each evening, I cannot "schedule" all of that time. But I don't need 3.5 hours to get in the Word, move for 30 minutes, and blog. I only need about 1.5 hours.
So my new plan is this: I am going to go to bed early so that I can wake up 1.5 hours earlier and do my three things, first thing in the morning.
That's 5:30 in the morning. Ugh.
I hate it. Really. Because I looooove my sleep, and I am not a fan of getting up early.
But I have known for a while that this needs to happen. I like to ease into my day. A cup of coffee and Jesus, a little morning yoga, a few minutes surfing the news and blogs, a little writing or planning. This is hard to do when a four-year-old wakes me up with an "I'm hungy RIGHT NOW!" or a baby wakes me up with a leaky diaper or a seven-year-old wakes me up with a bloody mouth due to a pulled tooth. (That really happened.)
So that's the new new plan. Wake up early, knock out the three things, first thing, and go on with my day.
Having said that, here are a few observations from the past three days:
1. Exercise is boring when I'm worried about what I'm "supposed" to be doing (legs, arms, cardio, resistance, etc.). When I pick what I "want" to do, it's a whole lot more fun. And at least I'm moving, which is better than not moving. It is.
2. Getting in the Word is easy and makes a difference in my day. I just finished reading The Divine Mentor by Wayne Cordeiro (highly recommended), and he broke it down in such a simple format. I am loving my quiet time, and felt the lack when I wasn't able to do it yesterday.
3. Blogging is boring when I do it every day. My posts are boring. My writing is boring. My heart is not in it. I'm going to finish out the 30 days (only 27 days left!), but I may gain something unexpected in the process: the realization that daily writing is not for me. We shall see.
That's it. That's the end. I told you it's boring. But sneak peak to Day 4: it's all about some fun!
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