Where to begin? 2 years and 4 months has passed.
I decided to begin again and resurface my creativity that has been stirring as of late. Why should I need to rediscover it? It has been buried under life. We had a third baby in 2017, so when I stopped posting, it was a sort of survival mode. I have decided all of parenting is a type of survival mode. And though I figured the dust would settle in 2018, it was a new life. Some things similar or carried over from the past, but all rearranged and jumbled up. And even with my mind tossing and turning with a million to-dos a day, I have a certain restlessness. With that, I am beginning again. I am now a homeschool mom to two elementary students and a wrangler of a toddler. My goals for the first half of this year have been to walk daily, journal and spend quiet time reading. And now I have added blogging, Codecademy and Kahn Academy to the list (maybe Skillcrush or a bachelor degree, if time and resources allow). I am sure it will take at least the next 6 months to get into a regular routine of doing these things, though I wish making habits while juggling responsibilities happened much quicker. Here's to new beginnings, conquering chaos and establishing order to create space to breathe.
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In my last post, I laid out all the things I had recently started doing.
Most of them are still current. I am slowly moving through what was supposed to be a 30 day workout program, almost 2 months after starting it. I am not allowing myself to give up on it yet. I am enjoying the flexibility of the new job I have contracted for until June. It has taken a little while to carve out time to get the work done, though. I am still working on the article writing and scripture writing. Creating routine and carving out time for focus are still on my never-ending to-do list. So, why on earth did I start this blog and call it "Relaxed Simple Life"? Relaxed and simple don't seem to fill my days. Lately chaos, frustration and utter exhaustion from unfulfilled expectations have filled my mind and thoughts. But I have a goal and an end in sight. Recently a friend mentioned minimalism to me. I had dabbled in thoughts of it last year, and I used it for motivation while packing up our old house to let go of some of the clutter instead of adding it to another box. Now, I have a goal for minimalism in my life, not just pertaining to stuff, but my mindset. My surroundings, my routine, my day-to-day. I want to weed out things that are stealing my time and energy from what is precious and sacred in my life. Thank God our new home is in a peaceful area. I need that peace to come fill the house and my heart completely. Hopefully with time and attention to weeding out the unnecessary, it will. In my last post I ended with longings for making progress. I think I have begun down this path.
New things started recently: December 25, 2016--new exercise program. Volunteered to write an article for a church publication for teens. Attempting to complete training for a work from home job grading elementary school essays. Writing scripture as I read it. The exercise program is a cardio/dance program, and I am really loving it because it is the correct intensity for these lack-of-motivation grey days. I am working on 3 to 4 days per week though the enclosed calendar says 6. The article writing is kind of a test of skill. I had a person close to me suggest to me to try my hand at it. I have been researching and brainstorming my topic. Work on the first draft will come soon. The training for work at home jobs is very time consuming. I have tried my hand at skill tests for web search evaluation and transcription in the past and could not hack it, so this scholastic area is a new pursuit. And writing scripture has by far been my most enjoyable addition, besides my exercise. Somehow it helps me to have the verses stick a little longer for meditation. Hopefully, mulling over the words will help my actions gradually improve. Self-improvement is proving to be a strong focus right now. The organization of home and homeschool will come with time, I think. The more I stress about it, the more I feel paralyzed. I did go through some boxes of books this past week, though. That counts for a checkmark on progress as well. Maybe I should review books or recommend them. Homeschool would probably be the place I would start. Let me know if you would like me to write more about that... The Make Over Your Mornings course is still on the to do list, but as I type, I am opening a tab to go check it out again. Lots of ideas for getting priorities set. Valuable resource. Go check it out. makeoveryourmornings.com/ The end of September has arrived, and so has the chilly weather.
With the change in seasons, the change in life seasons is coming as well. We are now set to be in our house by early November, which we are happy about, but that means one more month of craziness, and I am wracking my brain to see how to cope better this second month. I have been considering going to college again. Most applications for spring need to be in by late fall. But many career paths are not suited for working at home. The tides are changing and technology is making way for more flexible job opportunities. Everyday I am reminded, though, that I have a full-time job. Raising and teaching children. I would say mentoring, but with my frustrations and lack of outlets for stress-relief, my attitudes have not set the best example. Now, I am trying to work through what has worked and what has not thus far. Working out helps me feel better, I know. Finding time to de-stress enough just to get going on pushing play is another story. And, yet, I am reminded that these feelings are the same ones that led me to start this blog. The feeling of wanting to speed up, get things done, stick to a plan. But being reminded that there are times to slow down, tend to the here and now, and breathe. Plan for the unexpected. Note to self: Remember to breathe. |
KristinSabbath-keeping Christian. Wife. Homeschool mom. Lifelong learner. Amateur chef. Thrift shopper. Lover of hot drinks and design shows. Archives
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