Back 2 School
Although I haven't had a first day of school for over 10 years, this time of year still feels like a new beginning to me. With my kids being in school, I do get to experience all the hype vicariously, but there is something that happens to me within myself that feels refreshing. I love shopping for school supplies with them. It never fails, I always end up with a few goodies for myself- a new box of crayons or colored pencils; a notebook or stationary; or a few rolls of tape (it seems we're always out of tape)! The newness, the blank pages, the endless possibilities are so inspiring.
So with this start of a new school year and the fresh start ahead, it's time for me to set some personal goals. Our summer was a little fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kind of summer. Which, let's be honest, is the way summer should be. Spontaneity and fun around every corner. It's 5:00 on a Friday and you want to throw together a camping trip for the weekend, sure! Let's do it! But now it's back to a routine and time to get back on track. Mornings continue to be a weakness for me. For the last three months Nels and I have been commuting together, and he has to be to work at 7. That meant I was at work super early every day. But it was still sleep in til the last minute and then rush, rush, rush to be out the door by 6:30. I want to continue getting to work early but I would like my morning routine to be a lot less rush and a lot more at peace. I finally read Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod, and I'm ready to put what I learned to work! My miracle morning schedule looks like this:
5:45: Wake, do morning meditation with affirmations.
6:00: Walk Lucy, visualize and set my intention for the day.
6:20: Back at home, wake the kids and get myself ready.
6:50: Start getting everything needed for the day, make my shake, kids get shoes on.
7:00: Out the door to school and work.
Writing it out and thinking about it makes me excited to put the plan in motion. I know I've posted about this in the past but it continues to be contemptuous in my life. So here I am again setting the goal to have more peaceful mornings. The steps to get there are to make a schedule, stick to it and never give up. It'll come. It takes time to break old habits and cultivate new.
Other goals that I am setting for myself:
Read for 10 minutes with each kid every day.
Limit TV watching to an hour per day.
Practice yoga daily even if for only10 minutes. Do it. Make it a habit.
Stop procrastinating. Stop putting things off. Get it done today. You'll feel so much better about yourself.
Continue reading at least 2 books per month.
Get rid of what's not working for me: thoughts, feelings, belongings, fears.
I think this gives me a good start. That last one is pretty vague, but it's something that I've been working on for a while. There are a lot of thought processes that we hang on to because they are ingrained in us, but if it doesn't serve you any longer, let it go. We are not stagnant. We are constantly learning and growing. We are forever changing. I need to stop holding onto what I thought this life was going to be like and embrace what it is. Let go of things that no longer serve me. Let go of the fear that I'm disappointing someone no matter what decision I make. If it works for me and my family, then it stays. But don't go along with something just because "that's how it's always been." I could give up on any one of my goals because well that's how I am, I don't follow through on things, but you know what, I'm not giving up because I'm resilient. Resilience is what is working for me these days.
What are some personal goals you are working on?
