Update: Things are not going as planned.
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Happy Fearless Friday, Friends!
I shared a while ago that I was taking on new work responsibilities and that I would measure my success by how calm and satisfied I felt at the end of each day. đŻ
Itâs not going according to plan. When I defined that target, I conveniently forgot that the big change wouldnât happen in isolation. In fact, that big shift happened in the midst of a couple other huge shifts, and each of those major moves rippled out to 100 other micro-changes.Â
Two weeks later (feels like two years), Iâm kind of a mess. This picture of my bed is a fair representation of every part of my life that is usually in order. My calendar is overflowing with commitments, my house is a wreck, my eating is sloppy, I havenât done my morning reflection pages even once this week, I donât feel like Iâm my best in any part of my life and Iâm so tired at the end of each day that I have to really focus on not being a grump or rushing through the sweetest moments of my day.
So, hereâs my new, adjusted plan:
   âLower my expectations (who says the bed has to be tidy all the time?)
   âSimplify
   âAsk for help
   âOrder takeout
   âBe super honest with myself and others about how things are going
   âBe patient and take the time to learn Â
The last one has been the most important, because as tempting as it can be to look at whatâs not working and rashly declare it broken or unfixable, now is the time to collect data points and get clear on whatâs working, what isnât, and whatâs just topsy turvy because Iâm in a foreign land where I donât yet know my way around. Things will get easier with practice and familiarity. Things will change. Iâll start doing some things, and stop others. But, I donât need to know what any of those are yet. Iâm not ready for decisions. Iâm just ready for learning, a little grace and patience, and a messy bed to crawl into at the end of the day.
PS Just shared this update with my daughter who responded, âWait, does this mean that we donât have to make our beds?â (Thatâs not what it means.)
Aransas
If you have kids in your life that would benefit from some calming mindfulness techniques (and couldnât we all) please check out my podcasts and e-books for kids ages 3 to 8 on the Encantos App. Thanks to a generous donor, the entire app is free!
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