Honoring our Hesitancy and Joy List Monday
It's a wet, grey Monday morning and I'm feeling a bit discombobulated. Sleepy. Slow. I know I'll fall back into the rhythm of things soon, but for now I don't feel quite like jumping in. It's like the day is a game of jumprope and the ropes are twirling, but I'm still hesitating on the sidelines.
More and more I'm coming to realize it's important to honor these feelings. Not in a lazy way, but in a thoughtful way. Listen to what's beneath our hesitancy.
Last weekend is a good example. I was having a hard time working on a couple projects, feeling a snag of reluctance. When I paused to think about it, I realized that my studio was in disarray. I had been working on so many different projects and every work space was covered. The chaos was making it hard to focus.
I listened to that discomfort and I took the time to organize. I went further than just clearing off the work spaces. I rearranged. I purged. I cleaned.
With my space in order I was re-energized and ready to jump back in.
It's not healthy to keep plowing ahead without thought, without listening to what it is that we need to be successful. Sometimes it's as simple as taking the time to re-organize our space.
And always, taking time for gratitude.
I hope that those of you who celebrated Thanksgiving had a joyful, restful holiday.
I hope that you were able to download the mini gratitude journal that Dana and I prepared for you (contact me if you had problems -- if you tried to sign up for my newsletter, but didn't get the welcome message, be sure to check your junk folder). Perhaps you'll even use it to write today's joy list.
My list today:
More and more I'm coming to realize it's important to honor these feelings. Not in a lazy way, but in a thoughtful way. Listen to what's beneath our hesitancy.
Last weekend is a good example. I was having a hard time working on a couple projects, feeling a snag of reluctance. When I paused to think about it, I realized that my studio was in disarray. I had been working on so many different projects and every work space was covered. The chaos was making it hard to focus.
I listened to that discomfort and I took the time to organize. I went further than just clearing off the work spaces. I rearranged. I purged. I cleaned.
With my space in order I was re-energized and ready to jump back in.
It's not healthy to keep plowing ahead without thought, without listening to what it is that we need to be successful. Sometimes it's as simple as taking the time to re-organize our space.
And always, taking time for gratitude.
I hope that those of you who celebrated Thanksgiving had a joyful, restful holiday.
I hope that you were able to download the mini gratitude journal that Dana and I prepared for you (contact me if you had problems -- if you tried to sign up for my newsletter, but didn't get the welcome message, be sure to check your junk folder). Perhaps you'll even use it to write today's joy list.
Joy List Monday:
a weekly ritual
a reminder to stop and pay attention to the little beauties and graces that make life magical and to set aside time for gratitude each day
- being featured last week on Alisa Burke's blog as part of her The Art of Chasing a Dream interview series
- nearly selling out of my current stock of calendars
- a lovely Thanksgiving with my family (and lots of leftovers)
- spotting an owl sitting on a road sign on my drive home from Thanksgiving dinner
- finding hearts everywhere
- putting the finishing touches on a new Skillshare class
- (finally) reading a book that I can't put down (after a string of books that couldn't keep my attention)
What's on your list today?
It's always great to have cleared off flat surfaces after expending too much time fighting to find a little clean area upon which to work. So, which book caught your attention, at long last?
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how something so simple can make such a big difference, isn't it?
DeleteThere's a link to the book in the post. It's Wool by Hugh Howey, a story of a post-apocalyptic world where people are living in a deep underground silo. I don't really read a lot of science fiction, but this book is really gripping. I also just brought In the Company of Women by Grace Bonney home from the library. It's a collection of interviews with creative entrepreneurs and it's beautiful and inspiring.
Our road is covered in ice...even our fabulous road crew cannot keep up with it. It should clear up by midday. I am happy to stay put this morning. Tea, laundry, and a project or two. :-)
ReplyDeleteSometimes the universe arranges periods of time-out for us. :)
DeleteSounds like a lovely morning.
(LOVE that giant strawberry!!!)
ReplyDelete:) Me, too.
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