...and then making the time.
Thanks to my sweet friend Laura Kelly, I am making the first step to spending more time with others by joining her monthly book club. I am pretty excited to get there and talk about something of substance with other adults. Yesterday I picked up a catalog from the Lawrence Arts Center to look into taking some classes, then when I got home and checked the mail I had received the very same catalog in the mail--I'm thinking its a sign that I'm on the right track.
Oliver is finally of the age that he can take classes as well, so I'm looking to double book us, he can do his class while I do mine. I'm mostly interested in either writing classes or new artistic mediums...probably water color painting or print making--something I've never done before!
I have to admit I've been in a funk of sorts lately. There are so many reasons I could/should feel the way I do right now, but those reasons never make it any easier to overcome the emotions. About a year ago, I had found incredible inspiration, was getting into shape, had a new place, the sun was shining, spring was here and I felt liberated. A year later, I guess I'm in a funk by my lack of progress, how in some ways I feel like I've regressed rather than moved forward. I guess I thought I would have seen more growth in a years time. So many feelings to overcome and in general a feeling of being overwhelmed that I don't know what to do with. I feel like I have so much to do, but when I find myself with the time to take care of those responsibilities--I don't even know where to start.
So I'm starting here. I'm reading a book (well I read it a year ago and now I'm re-reading it) and making lists. The book is called The Power of Less, by Leo Babauta. The book is about "the fine art of limiting yourself to the essential...in business and in life." Frankly, it feels so cliche and silly to even admit to turning to a book (one of self-help origins) in improving my state of existence, but I don't know where else to start and this book gave me tremendous inspiration.
The first step is setting Limits. I have to look at the things in my life that make me feel overloaded or that occupy too much of my time. I need to analyze how much of my time is truly being occupied with these things and try and set limits, provide structure. Using the new limits I set, I will give it a week to see if the new limits work in my life or whether I could limit further, or need more...to fine tune the limits in other words. The second week I will add the adjustments made through trial and error, after that, I will practice making it a habit.
I have to publicly admit the first thing I will be setting limits around. It is rather embarrassing to admit it out loud (even if my audience is so small) but without the public admission I won't be likely to take this challenge seriously. The truth is, I spend (and Oliver spends) entirely too much time watching T.V. and movies. So much that I loose other practices in my life and allow T.V. (something that clearly makes me feel even more depressed) as a way to aid in my current funk. Its time to put the practice to good use. See if I can fill my time differently and who knows maybe gain some positive new practices in its place.
Stay tuned for progress reports to come.
There is so much to talk about in this post, I feel like we need to meet for coffee/tea to discuss it all.
ReplyDelete1. I hope this bookclub is fun. I am picky about fiction and a lot of the novels geared towards women just leave me feeling annoyed.
2. If you would like company at a painting or print making class, let me know. I’ve wanted to do that for years.
3. I read an article a few months ago that was chalked full of straightforward, in your face advice about getting where you want to be in your career. The author made a lot of good points but one that resonated with me was “You feel bad about yourself because you’re not doing anything”. For myself and so many of my friends I have found this to be true. Doing something, anything outside of our every day routines is so important. We need to feel like we’re making progress. It gives us self esteem and makes us feel interesting and unique. Life is hard and busy and we have a ton of responsibilities and sometimes it is just so hard to fight the urge to veg out and fall in to our easy and expected patterns. I wonder if your funk may have a little bit to do with that. A year ago you were all kinetic energy (to get all science nerdy on you). Moving, exercising, newish job, new space of your own with lots of sunshine…you were doing something. And now things have slowed down a little. You couldn’t keep that momentum up, all those changes, it’s just not possible and really difficult with a little one that needs more routines, but now the dust is settling and you’re finding a routine in your new situation. I guess what I’m saying is to not be too hard on yourself, to know that this funk will pass and to keep doing what you’re doing. Keep reading books that inspire you and writing lists and making art. Because you are not the kind of person that can just not do anything. It’s not in your nature.
4. I love your idea of setting limits on the things that make you feel overloaded and occupy too much time. I’m going to think about how that applies in my life and do the same. Thank you for sharing that.
5. I’ve found that having small children makes it so that pre-children goals and personal growth seems to go in slow motion. It’s sort of the opposite of what your life is like with kids; all full of soccer games and minute phone calls to friends and fast dinners and racing to school in the morning. Life goes in fast forward but when I’m working towards something for myself it’s like I’m underwater. It will get easier as Oliver gets older. In the mean time give yourself longer time lines and don’t judge yourself too harshly.
6. Lisa, the passion you have for life and the generosity and acceptance that you show to your family and friends is so inspiring. There are so many good things to come in your life.
7. Lastly, this is my mantra when life gets overwhelming (which is almost every day with a 15 month old)-
Give more
Worry less
Love more
Expect less
Sorry that I just wrote the longest comment in history. Hugs.
-L