When I shared 3 Thriving Thoughts for Hard Days a few weeks ago, we were not at the end of the unexpected and hard around here. The reality is that my capacity and desire for doing things and running the household are shrinking as my energy is being diverted toward the emotional and physical realities and reactions to our circumstances.
I’ve also realized that my physical energy and health vary greatly every month, and I have some ongoing health challenges. I want to have a more realistic handle on what I’m committing to. When I created my vision at the beginning of the year, I had no clue what the first few months would throw at us, and I very excitedly jumped into lots of things, but now I’m finding myself stressed by these self-imposed expectations.
As I was pondering this situation earlier this week, I had the inspiration (in my usual place, the shower) to write a Yes List. What is a Yes List, you ask?
A yes list is a list of everything you’ve said yes to. Because I really don’t like not finishing things and seeing them through to the end, it was very helpful for me to put things on paper and look at them objectively. Then, I could sift through everything and simplify those “yeses” to the absolute essential. I used a Think and Process page in my Thriving in Motherhood Planner and carried it around with me during the day so I could add to it.
Here are five areas from my Yes List that I’m currently simplifying:
Books: I revisited my reading list and wrote down all the books I wanted to come back to in the future. For now, I’m focusing on reading this that builds my character and less on books that require me to take action.
Gardening: Instead of an all-or-nothing approach, I’m simplifying our gardening activities and making progress without making it too complicated.
Rooms: We are continuing our journey to simplify our living spaces, focusing on reducing clutter without getting too overwhelmed with perfection.
Programs/Commitments: I evaluated all the programs I’m a part of and sorted through what is time-sensitive and what can wait. I’ve also re-evaluated my commitments, saying no to some things I had previously said yes to.
Homeschooling: We are embracing our current homeschool and focusing on relationships over perfection. This approach fosters a deeper and more meaningful learning experience.
In a nutshell, I’m on a quest to get really clear on what really matters RIGHT NOW and redirecting my energy and focus where it counts the most. Writing in my Thriving in Motherhood Journal every day is really helping me find the guidance I’m seeking.
The Power of Actually Writing Down my Morning and Evening Routines [Episode 121]
Lower Your Expectations and Love it with Tiana Woodbury [Episode 120]
Getting Ready for Baby (or Any Other Life Change) [Episode 119]
Peace, Joy and Contentment: A Two Year Growth Journey and One Simple Change with Jeni Awerkamp [Episode 118]
Establishing and Living Our Family Values [Episode 117]
Making Yourself the Top Priority with Jessica Ralston [Episode 116]
The Three Pillars of Thriving [Episode 115]
Living Authentically as a Mother with Annette Pimentel [Episode 114]
How I Finally Learned to Clean My House! [Episode 113]
Deciding to do Things Differently with Hannah Rust [Episode 112]
The Importance of Taking Care of Ourselves First So We can Continue to Give with Britney Grover [Episode 111]
Two Year Celebration, What's Next for Thriving in Motherhood - and 3 Invitations for YOU! [Episode 110]
What I do When I Start to Lose It [Episode 109]
How We Strengthen our Marriage During Hard Times with Andrew Jackson [Episode 108]
How I Completely Changed How I Experience Motherhood [Episode 107]
Let's Do a Monthly Review Together! [Episode 106]
How to Add Variety to Your Meals During Shelter in Place [Episode 105]
The Power of Family Stories During Hard Times [Episode 104]
How to Get Out of Survival Mode [Episode 103]
Feeling Overwhelmed? Let's do a Quarterly Review Together! [Episode 102]
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