A Little Addition and Subtraction

We’re more than halfway through November and while many folks have been posting their daily gratitude lists on social media, I have been not be very grateful at all. In fact, I’ve been a little whiny and stressed out. There, I said it.

I have always tried to live a deliberate, mindful, slow life. I don’t like running around or feeling maxed out all the time. But Adam and I committed to him going to school part time (in addition to working two jobs), and I have my work and the responsibility for most of the care for our kiddos. I hate to complain, but it’s a lot. Every moment feelsfull and frantic. Everything, even the fun stuff, feels like work. It needs to change.

I sat on the couch yesterday afternoon, mindlessly knitting my scarf, and realized it was the most relaxed I’d been in a while. Though my hands were busy, it felt like I was doing nothing. This is the space I’ve been craving! I need more of doing nothing. I need less.

But I’m so type-A. I have a million ideas about a million things I want to do, and sometimes I have trouble slowing down. So, the rest of this week I plan to do a little addition and subtraction:

• First thing’s first, take Candy Crush off my Kindle (I’m so embarrassed that I even have to type that).
• No more blog reading this week or podcast listening (except for Zen Parenting Radio and The Lively Show because they both make my week better).
• Take a few minutes to do something healthy and mindless each day. Activities may include knitting, doodling, journaling, or working on Project Life.
• Write a letter to a friend every day. What better way to be grateful than to hand write a letter.

Nothing earth shattering here. Just a little accountability. By week’s end, I hope to report that these things were helpful, but it might take more than a week. We’ll see.

And, I’d love to know, what helps you to be mindful and relax? Are you documenting your gratitudes this month?