Friday, February 26, 2016

Slow It Down

I am moving slowly today.

I'm moving slowly all the time recently. I'm enjoying this immensely. I've had enough of rushing, enough of hurrying, enough of getting something done just to immediately get something else done. I've had enough of working more than I relax. Where's the fun in that? So what if the dishes don't get done or the floor goes un-vacuumed. Big deal if the laundry doesn't quite get put away (bonus points if it even makes it out of the dryer). It doesn't matter if every item on my to-do list gets done if life is passing me by while I'm busy. I'm tired of being busy. I am consciously choosing to un-busy myself.

Sitting on the couch watching Netflix. Hiking with friends and my kids. Soaking up the sunshine at the beach. Reading all cozied up in my fabulous bed. Enjoying leisurely yoga with no concern for a timeframe. Walking slooooowly to the park. Swinging high in the sky with my face tipped toward the sun. Meditation and self-reflection. Writing. Listening to music with the lights dimmed and my eyes closed. More bonus points for candles burning. Games with my daughter, who is growing up faster than I ever imagined possible. (Everyone tells you it goes by in the blink of an eye. This is true. It also seems like it will never end.) Long conversations with my husband in front of the fire. Taking naps. Drinking wine. Eating good food. Being outside as much as possible.

These are the things I'm doing instead. Life is much sweeter this way.

Happiness is a blank calendar page and the day stretching out before me.

No more over-scheduled life. No more have-to's. No more should's. All that is over. I refuse to feel guilty for not being constantly productive. I don't want to spend my life constantly working, whether it's work outside the home or within my home. It's time to relax.

Happy Friday! Go play outside!




Thursday, February 25, 2016

Bedtime Songs

 I love listening to Ryan singing bedtime songs to Caitlin with her giggles accompanying him. Then, once he's done singing, she goes to bed, he closes the door – and the next thing you hear is heavy metal from behind his closed door.