Thursday, March 8, 2012

Greetings from Charleston, SC!

 (This actually isn't a picture of Charleston; it's a street in my neighborhood.)

I'm sitting here in our lovely Holiday Inn Express hotel suite, thinking how much more I enjoy traveling with my family than by myself. Jack is on his computer, the Man and Will are on a bed watching basketball on TV, I'm writing this blog post, and it's all very nice. If I were by myself, I'd be in my jams already (it's only 8:30) and in bed, reading, trying not to feel lonely.

I've been doing a little mental spring cleaning this week, just to freshen up my mind. I've started making a list in my journal called "Things That Are Working for Me/Things that Aren't Working for Me."  Essentially, things that are working for me are things that make me feel happy and enthusiastic when I think of them, and the things that aren't working for me are things that make me feel lifeless and dull, or anxious and fearful.

You'll be happy to hear that at the top of my list of things that are working is my marriage. And my children are high on that list, too, although I take them off the list three or four times a day. Still, when I think of Will when he's at his best, which is actually a fair amount of time, or Jack when he's being funny (which is more frequently these days), I do feel expansive and joyful.

Making quilts is working for me, as is regular exercise. Travis is definitely working for me.

Not working? Christmas as we practice it, my children's diets, my family's inconsistent church attendance, a volunteer job I hold at Jack's school. My attic: definitely not working. The general level of clean in my house (pretty dang low): not working for me at all.

Occasionally I'm surprised at what I discover doing this exercise. It was interesting, for instance, to realize the volunteer work I've been doing with Jack's book club  at school for the last three years is actually not working for me. I love books, the kids are nice, and I get along well with the teacher who leads the group. But the weekly meetings disrupt  my writing time every Monday morning. I had no idea this was bothering me until I started making my list.

Equally surprising? That I really like exercising on a regular basis. I feel better, I sleep better, and my calves are more shapely.

So what will I do about the things that aren't working for me? I'm not sure. Talk to the Man about more regular church attendance and coming up with an attic plan. See if there's any money for hiring a cleaning team to come in and bring my house up to code. Stop volunteering for the book club in the fall. Nothing too radical, but hopefully it will leave my mind clean and fresh and sparkly. I'll keep you updated!


34 comments:

Angela said...

Very impressed by your analysis and hope the proposed changes prove fruitful. Enjoy your Spring break [a concept we Brits do not relate to at all!] Enjoy Charleston - a place which is connected in my mind with Rhett Butler, and also 1920s dancing, altho I know there is much m,ore to it than that!

blessings x

ps thanks for lovely comments on my blog

Pom Pom said...

Hi Frances!
I'm so glad you're having such a nice time with your family!
I bet you have to jealously protect your writing time. Good move to exit the book club.
Good for you, exercising regularly!

Leslie said...

I am so glad you are enjoying your trip and I like your evaluation exercise. Spring is so needful. Just think if there were no spring I don't think we would be as open to change. Hope you continue to have a blessed time!

debbie bailey said...

I need to make a list like that again. it really helps clarify the changes that need to be made. I'm so worn out and frazzled right now but don't see anything to change that'll help. What do you do when you're helping our your daughter take care of her six children? She hasn't had a full night's sleep in over a year. I can't tell her I can't help as much. So we're both on the verge of sickness we're so tired. We press on...

Sorry, didn't mean to rant like that. I think I'll go make that list now!

magsmcc said...

I'll tell you what's working for me, Missy LHH! Having the challenge of even thinking about sourcing what you want does actually make me smile. What does not work for me is the horrific realisation that you are now asking for things from other people!!! In no way will Heather Bss be giving up that blanket, not for me, not for you, no sir EE!

This is, by the way, possibly one of my favourite of your posts. Possibly. I'm too scared to do the list- afraid that the not working will by far outweigh the working.

Tracy said...

I'm glad you're enjoying the opportunity to travel with your family instead of on your own.

One of the things a change of church has brought about is a complete disappearance of all commitments. Work, study, time with family and friends. That's all that's going on here right now. And it's good. Uncluttered.

I think my house could use some help too though. I wonder why I have such an issue with hiring someone to come and do the floors and bathrooms once a fortnight? I think I need to ponder that.

The dB family said...

I've never though of making lists based on what's working and not working. What a great idea. I wonder what mine would look like...

Blessings!
Deborah

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