Merry Maycember!

when your May days feel like heydays

You know how when the preachers get up and say, “This sermon is for me..?” Well, that’s how I feel about this post. I’m writing it for me to remind myself of these lessons that I’ve learned and am still discovering and trying to learn! You are welcome to read and learn along with me and to drop your own wisdom in the comment box below! TIA.

I’ve been feeling an apathetic mixture lately of lamenting the things I need to do but not doing them, and/or working very hard at things that I’m not sure are “the next right things.” Are my priorities straight or does my to-do list need to go to the chiropractor for an alignment?! May is/was (since it’s almost over… this post was supposed to have gone up on the 21st!) a month that has been likened to the hustle and bustle of December but without the twinkly lights and Christmas cookies. Amidst going to graduations, finding fabric for new frocks, setting aside time to swim, scooting to school for the last activities, and celebrating babies, brides, and birthdays; my May sure has done some Maying! Although in some ways it was a much simpler May than last year. I consciously enjoyed not having the responsibility of school food committee duties even though feeding people is always fun, and delighted in the privilege of listening to program practice twice before the big night. So as May has monthed along, here are the points I’ve been pondering!

• My work (and yours!) will NEVER done! In one way this seems super depressing, but in another way it’s incredibly relieving. Why stress to finish a task list when more things will be added tomorrow?! Keep the house clean enough to avoid triggering a downward motherhood mental spiral, but don’t mind the inevitable messes too much. Home can still feel like a soothing safe space as long as mom is happy and there are clean clothes somewhere.

• Choose the bigger life. Gretchen Rubin is always saying this and I think she’s giving great advice! I’ve never regretted making an effort to go somewhere or do something with/for others in the end! But contradictorily, sometimes the “choosing the bigger life” is saying No and staying home, too. Looking back to last year, I don’t remember the days when I got my whole list ticked off (maybe there weren’t any lol), but I do recall the times I got out of my comfort zone.

• Don’t discount the dopamine you can get from doing work! Sometimes I think the only way to relax and enjoy a summer day is to laze around and swim, but in actuality, push-mowing the backyard gives me just as much of a feel-good jolt of satisfaction as swimming does! Doses of dopamine can come from things we least expect. Doing dishes, baling the bahia, and clearing the clutter in the refrigerator. (Please don’t peek in my frig right now though! Like I said, I’m preaching to myself this post!)

• How busy you feel is 80% mindset and 20% how much you actually have to do. Do you agree?? I’ve been learning from my calm, organized, productive friends that you can have lots on your plate but not feel panicked that you have to eat it all immediately. You can just take it course by course and enjoy each bite while telling yourself that it’s really not that big of a “meal” after all. Even if you are gone parts of each day, you lean into the times when you are home and consider it a “home” day in your head. The mindset shift feels amazing and energizing!

OK, I’m done pontificating on my sort-of opposing ponderings! But life just seems to be like that; the solution is the problem and the problem is the solution. Sometimes it’s clear and sometimes it’s cloudy keeping the main thing the main thing.

Merry Maycember to you! I hope all your May days weren’t heydays, but if they were - take courage! June is just around the corner!