You can read about the start of this project here.
It says: kindness is like snow, it beautifies everything it touches.
Loving Hearts is a Monthly Project for January 2017. You can read more about my projects for 2017 here.
     I had to read Learning to Swear in America for my Young Adult book club. I’d started reading it a few months ago, but wasn’t able to get into it. When my Audible credit came I decided it was my best chance of reading the book in time for the book club. I chided myself a bit for “wasting” my credit on a YA novel since those are usually shorter and really quick reads. But I am so glad I did. I loved the audio for this book and I loved the book so so much that by the last 40 pages, I just gave up on the audio so I could read the pages and go faster. I loved this sweet book quite a bit and I think the wonderful audio performance had a lot to do with it, too.
I then was looking for something new to read and glanced through my Overdrive checkouts and came back to the new Jodi Picoult book, Small Great Things. I read Picoult’s My Sister’s Keeper many years ago and was so devastated with the twist at the end that I swore to never read her again. But then I read more of her over the years anyway. Though I was a lot more hesitant and picky. I didn’t like her previous book all that much and wasn’t sure I wanted to read this one. But I was working on a puzzle and needed a book and just figured I’ll give it a try. I am so glad I did. I swallowed this book up. I basically listened to it until I was completely finished with my puzzle and then read the rest of it into the late hours of the night. I loved the author’s note at the end and I really am glad I read this book.
I then moved on to Mr. Terupt because it’s the book we’re reading in the Lit Club I am co-leading in David’s school for the 3-4th grade group we have. David read this book when he was in third grade and loved it. I was looking forward to reading it but had no idea how much I was going to love it. If you have a middle grader, this is a lovely book with soul (though also some tough, sensitive subject-matter if your kids are sensitive, so keep that in mind.)
I had Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us checked out and wasn’t sure if I wanted to read it but I decided to give it a shot. In the end, I ended up reading about a third of it. I am already off all the packaged goods so this was mostly a reminder that it was a good choice to turn to natural foods. And a good reminder that it’s going to be tough to get all these things out of my system, especially the sugar.
So unlike me to read not one but two non-fiction books in a month, let alone a week but I also had Organize Tomorrow Today in my Overdrive checkouts and I decided to check it out while I started my second puzzle of the weekend. I am already a pretty intentional and organized person, but this book was fantastic with specific tasks on how to be considerably more intentional and purposeful with my life. This is one I will come back to and reread as I implement it in pieces since there’s so so much in this little book.
That’s it for this week’s reading. A wide range and good mix this week.
Books I Read this Week 2017 is a year-long project for 2017. You can read more about my projects for 2017 here.
You can read about the start of this project here.
It says: to be able to look back upon life in satisfaction is to live twice.
Loving Hearts is a Monthly Project for January 2017. You can read more about my projects for 2017 here.
You can read about the start of this project here.
It says: we choose our joys and sorrows long before we experience them.
Loving Hearts is a Monthly Project for January 2017. You can read more about my projects for 2017 here.
So here we are. It’s been a week of working on nourishment. On the first two days without coffee and sugar, I had debilitating headaches. On the second day after exercising for merely 7 minutes, my arms and muscles hurt. If I needed a reminder why I need to do this, well I got it. I haven’t been taking good care of myself and I am hoping that I can remember this week when I am tempted to not stick to my goals.
What also scared me was how much time I spent in my head trying to find a way around my self-imposed rules. I kept thinking maybe I could have a “cheat” day or that lattes are really just milk and coffee, both of which are natural so theoretically I should be able to have them, no? On and on. I kept hearing myself (in my head) trying to find ways to convince myself why it would be ok to get off course. So many, many times. It was quite astounding. And eye-opening of course.
So here we go:
Mind:
- I read: I read a lot of books this week. More on those coming tomorrow. Some YA, some middle grade, some literary and some nonfiction. I didn’t however, read about nutrition at least not the type I’d have intended to. More on what I did read, coming tomorrow.
- I learned: I didn’t pick a class. However, I did get the Loving Yourself Workbook but haven’t started it yet.
- I watched: I watched this lovely TED talk which was quite thought provoking. Very little TV this week and some of the Golden Globes. No movies.
Body:
- Exercise: I did the 7-minute exercise once a day but I did it everyday. Knee is a bit better but not fully recovered.
- Food: I’ve done a good job with the food. I’ve eaten only whole foods. Not the Whole 30 or any specific diet. Just things that are whole and not processed. I’ve eaten a LOT of spinach this week. I love spinach. I’ve also had no coffee or coke zero. only tea and water this week.
- Skin: moisturized every day when i came out of the shower.
- Floss: flossed every night. love my floss.
- And More: no mediation. sorry.
Soul:
- I rested: I did sleep eight hours or more every night except Thursday where I chose to work a bit more. It was worth it. I also stopped eating and drinking about 2-3 hours before bed on each night. I also rested most of the weekend, worked on puzzles while I listened to books. Lovely way to spend my time when it’s pouring rain outside.
- I connected: Our friend Adam came over with his family on Friday night and it was really lovely to see them and see our kids play so much.
- I journaled: I journaled every day. Woohoo!
- I made art: No new art this week. Still thinking about my February art. Open to ideas.
Here’s to baby steps. Here’s to taking it one day at a time. I can do this.
Nourish Me Week 2017 is a year-long project for 2017. You can read more about my projects for 2017 here.
My boys each play an instrument. David started learning the guitar in the summer of second (or maybe third) grade. And Nathaniel started the piano just this past summer. Even though they wanted to play these instruments, I am constantly having to remind them to practice. It’s always met with much whining. But we still keep at it. And I absolutely adore the way in which my children can create music. It’s such a joy.
One of the greatest moments of the holiday break, for me, came when I told the kids they had to practice and after the whining and moaning, I joked that they were welcome to play each other’s instruments. Next thing I know, that’s exactly what they did! Nathaniel taught David how to play his song on the piano and David taught Nathaniel how to play the guitar (or tried to.)
It was the best moment, ever.
You can read about the start of this project here.
It says: what you seek is seeking you.
Loving Hearts is a Monthly Project for January 2017. You can read more about my projects for 2017 here.
Weekly Intention: As we go into the first full week of 2017, I expect this week to be hectic and busy. My Mondays are always the toughest because my meetings start at 9am and don’t end until 10pm. So by the end of the day, I’m already wiped enough for multiple days. Wednesdays are like that, too, but then my Thursdays and Fridays tend to be quieter so Wednesday feels more hopeful. This Monday comes with the extra challenge of a dentist’s appointment and also Nathaniel will be home since he has a fever of 100.6 at the moment. So we’ll see how juggling all this works. I have a few more work items that I feel compelled to get done this week. Most noticeably my unread email is still at multiple hundreds so my intention with that this week is to either read it all or declare email bankruptcy and move on. I don’t want all the email hanging on my conscience all week. I learned last week that when I am rushing or harried, I tend to make a lot more mistakes and I tend to be much unkinder to my loved ones. So my intention this week is to slow down all the moments in between. If I am packing lunches during a meeting, so be it, but I don’t have to rush. Everything can wait, even when it doesn’t seem so. Let’s see if I can remember that.
This month’s intention is: Rise and Shine. Hit the ground running.
Ways to Shine this week:
- One: Bold: Skipping some meetings so I can go to Book Club this week.
- Two: Open: Setting up a few personal meetings for mentoring/coaching at work.
- Three: Heal/Nourish: Continuing to choose to nourish myself. Oh and, going to the dentist 🙂 And getting my hair done!
I am looking forward to: a long weekend this weekend. i love long weekends.
This week’s challenges: a lot of meetings this week. i am hoping nathaniel won’t get sicker. and the email, oh the email.
Top Goals:
- Work: start creating weekly summaries, see if I can pull it together.
- Personal: stay on the wagon with my new routine. make a list of personal goals and projects.
- Family: create some routine for Nathaniel and math. (i haven’t done this yet so let’s give it one more week.)
I will focus on my core desires (bold, mindful, nourish, love) by: trying to stay in this present moment. slowing down and picking only the most important things to work on. Listening and responding and not jumping in. Staying calm. I’ll try to focus extra hard on the equanimity this week. Let’s see where I get.
This week, I will say yes to: getting the most important work done (and identifying what that is!)
This week, I will say no to: doing all the urgent-seeming-but-unnecessary work. (not just at work but also at home.)
I am worried that: i will not make time for my kids and for myself. i feel like once the week starts it’s a marathon of just going through all the motions. drop off to school, exercise/journal, meetings, meetings, meetings, pick up from school, make lunches, make dinner, meetings, meetings, meetings, sleep. That’s pretty much my life. Even if it’s in 20-minute pockets, I want to make time there for myself (and I am now doing this a bit with the journaling) and for Nathaniel and for David. Not time to say “do your homework, practice your instrument, brush your teeth” but time to connect. Time to show them my love. Time to really listen.
This week, I want to remember: that this is my life. I can choose how it goes. i can choose what upsets me. i can choose what I will worry about. I can choose how I show up in the world. Every day. Every moment. And each time, I get to start from scratch and try again.
Here’s to a great week!
You can read about the start of this project here.
It says: do not feel lonely, the entire universe is inside you.
Loving Hearts is a Monthly Project for January 2017. You can read more about my projects for 2017 here.
Three ways I shone this week:
- One: I worked really hard this week to get a bunch of logistical tasks out of the way so my teams can move forward.
- Two: I tried to be patient and kind to my son when he was struggling. Not sure if this counts as I find these moments are never the perfect way I wish they were. I am flawed and say as many wrong things as I say “right,” so I walk away unsure of how much they helped.
- Three: I have been working on nourishing myself more and better.
I celebrate: getting back into the groove of life even though i wasn’t sure I was ready.
I am grateful for: having a three-day workweek this week. it made the transition a bit easier.
I nourished myself by: eating a lot more vegetables this week. especially spinach. i love spinach.
Reflecting on my worries: i worried that it would be a disaster going back to work. i would be disconnected, things wouldn’t come back to me, etc. it didn’t happen. i love my job and was able to come in and be impactful pretty quickly. what’s funny is that i was worried about this and it didn’t happen but a bunch of stuff I didn’t think to worry about did happen and this is just another proof that i need to stop worrying so much because it doesn’t actually help.
I let go of: my email. i didn’t even bother to try to read all my mail from December. I might never get to.
Core Desire Check-in (bold, mindful, nourish, love):
- I made several bold moves at work this week, trying to make sure i could get better connected to some of my teams. i was scared but it worked out okay, i am proud of myself.
- I had some moments this week that required more equanimity than I usually can pull off. I had mixed results. Sometimes i wasn’t able to contain myself and yelled despite the fact that I didn’t want to. Other times, I held my tongue but only for a while and then exploded. Neither was great. But I did succeed in a few instances too. So maybe it’s like 3 steps forward, 2 steps back?
- I have been doing a pretty good job on nourishment. It’s been extremely hard to break habits (but also eye-opening of course.)
- And love. Well, I’ve had more grumpy moments than I’d like to admit. I’ve realized that when I am rushing, I am not at my best (is this really surprising??)
What made me laugh this week: my book, Learning to Swear in America. It was great. Also The Middle, TV show. And of course my boys who really love Calvin and Hobbes so much.
What I tolerated this week: getting up early. i don’t like having to wake up at 6. I wish it were 7. also giving up coke zero and my latte.
My mood this week was: some really low moments but some high ones filled with gratitude.
I forgive myself for: being less than my perfect self at least in three major incidents this week. once to david, once to nathaniel and once to Jake. It seems I covered the whole list 🙁 Graciously, they all forgave me, so now it’s my turn to forgive myself.
What I love right now: I still really love my Christmas tree. I am not ready to take it down. Is that awful? I told myself I get one more week but a part of me wishes I could have the shimmer all year long.
Week one is over already. Here’s to a wonderful week two!
You can read about the start of this project here.
It says: Because you are alive everything is possible.
Loving Hearts is a Monthly Project for January 2017. You can read more about my projects for 2017 here.
You can read about the start of this project here.
It says: There is a sun within every person.
Loving Hearts is a Monthly Project for January 2017. You can read more about my projects for 2017 here.
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projects for twenty twenty-five
projects for twenty twenty-four
projects for twenty twenty-three
projects for twenty twenty-two
projects for twenty twenty-one
projects for twenty nineteen
projects for twenty eighteen
projects from twenty seventeen
monthly projects from previous years
some of my previous projects
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