Steps toward intentional living.

Lindsey

 
So.. these past few weeks have been crazy. How about you guys? Sometimes it takes a whirlwind  to make you sit back and reflect on your life. What is my plan for today? Will I be able to stick to my schedule? Is it worth making a schedule, or am I setting myself up for failure? Am I loving myself? How are my kids? Have I taken time to notice? Is my husband taken care of? Does he need me?  What  do I have left to offer? 

With all these questions spinning through my head I have decided to make an action plan. I have decided to take action on my life. To notice more, to live with more intention. To really seek out my needs , and those of my family. It's so easy to let my days blur together and before I know it the week is over and I haven't reflected on a single day. 

I don't know if this will be a forever plan, but it is going to be a right now plan!  Trying to be more intentional with my days. 

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Our intention creates our reality !  

 1. Sticking to a schedule!
      This is so hard for me. It is so easy for me to deviate from my daily schedule. I am the type of person to do things on a whim.. call me up. I will drop what I'm doing to chat or stop over for coffee. Which seems like a great quality, but in reality it takes time away from my schedule. (I realize this sounds selfish.. it's not permanent, but it's got to be for now) Then things don't get done. Dinner doesn't get made and my kids are eating cereal at 8:00 because I strayed from the plan. I sat with my son last week and laid out a schedule for him for this week. He has been feeling overwhelmed by not having a schedule, and not knowing what he (or our family) is doing from day to day.  I never realized how much our hectic schedule (or lack there of) was putting a strain on the whole family. SO..trying to figure out what to do... I planned out our week! Leaving some free time. Leaving time for reading and creativity. Or whatever little "project" my husband has going on. I can honestly say. So far so good. Starting the week out organized and "scheduled" has made for a much calmer week. 

2. Getting up early
The struggle is real.. I AM NOT A MORNING PERSON!  Not even a little bit. I  despise my alarm. I love my bed. It's cold putting my feet on the floor! But... I NEED TIME! So it's what I've decided is best for me right now. I am banking on it being easier when  its light out.  As much as I don't like getting out of bed.. it's so quiet when everyone else is sleeping. Like pin drop quiet. I am finding  time to just sit. I don't do that well. I have a really hard time taking even 10 minutes to myself because i can't shut my brain down. It's always moving onto the next thing that needs done.  I think having a more than full time job and being a mom it's just hard to slow down. Can anyone relate...?? So right now I'm trying to be still and enjoy the silence in the morning. I'm slow at enjoying it. I thought I would love having this time to myself, but I'm a people person. I love having my family around me. It's hard for me to just be. It's hard not to get out of bed and start folding laundry, or checking facebook, or whatever else I have on my mind.  But I'm gonna keep at it. Hopefully someday soon when the weather breaks, I can sit on my porch and listen to the birds.  (wow.. that sounds great!)

3. De-clutter
If you have been following us on here, then you'll know Jeanmare is writing about her journey towards minimalism. I think it's awesome. She is on a mission to reduce her belonging by half. She gifted us the book for Christmas that she had read to start her minimalism journey.  I had it read in 3 days! It was a great easy read. I have never had an attachment with the material things in my house. So looking in on the outside most would say I'm pretty minimal. With keeping in my weekly schedule though I am working on taking care of mail/school papers/bills ect. as they are coming in. I have always has a nice pile of papers on our computer desk waiting (usually way too long) to be taken care of. So I'm staying on top of them. Sorting each piece of paper as it comes in. Putting everything in it's place.  I feel like not dealing with these papers is just a reason to put things  on the back burner. Which isn't helping me live each day with intention. 

4. Un-plug
Now, I know this looks different for everyone. For myself I am talking about my phone. I have numerously caught myself totally engaged in checking what is new of facebook or instagram and have completely missed what someone has said to me.  I am that person. Ugh.. I can't believe I'm saying it. It is hard for me to not be invested in what my phone has to offer me .. any minute of the day. I say.. "I'm not like that.. " but if I were to step back and look at myself, I am. I can't tell you how many times I've asked my husband to repeat himself, or told me kids.. not right now.  We can do that later. Why.. because i'm consumed with someone elses life on facebook? And you know.. it's a slippery slope. You get on just to check one thing.. then you're on your cousins, best friends, boyfriends page. Holy crap.. how does that happen!? So for now, I have given myself 30 minutes each day to  check my phone. It's all I need. Now, don't get me wrong. If I get a call or someone needs me through text, I will answer. But being mindless on my phone is not something I want to be doing anymore. I have been able to connect with my family more this week too. Reading together, really talking to my daughter. Engaging in deep conversations with my husband. (He also put himself on the 30 min. limit) So, to all of you that don't get consumed by social media, or apps, or games.. I give you props and a big pat on the back! 

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5. Self-care
Taking time for myself.. we already talked about how hard that is for me. But, it's got to be done. Being the best me I can be. Most days I don't get there. I don't usually get make-up on. I don't take  time to (honestly)  shower everyday. I don't buy myself clothes, I don't paint my nails. I don't do my hair. It's apparent, because once in a blue moon when I do, someone always notices or comments on how nice I look.. I should take the hint right!? I always kind of thought those things were frilly. Not necessary. Well except the showering part. :) I do always feel better about myself on days when I put myself together though. I feel a sense of confidence that I don't have on days where my hair is thrown up and I'm in frumpy clothes. So in my new life plan I have included self care. Taking time get my make-up on, put my contacts in, and get dressed and face the world. 

There are still a LOT of areas in my life that need work. Like for example.. exercise. I'm not a huge fan! I'm hoping those will come. I just wanted to share the few areas that I'm working on. It's work. It's not always easy to stay committed to what you have planned for yourself. I wrote my achievable 2017 list in January. I look back at it every week. I have already crossed 4 things off. Mostly because I'm trying to stay intentional with my days. Sticking to a plan. Staying focused and living in the now. Living each day to it's fullest. I hope you are too! 

Much love, Lindsey