1. LIVING AN INSPIRING LIFE: I loved Davina’s post on 5 Ways To Start The Day Off Right. When I read it I thought, “Hey! That’s my morning routine!!” So pretty much I want to give her a virtual high five and add my own testimonial to the sacredness of having an inspiring morning ritual. My life changed from the moment I committed to waking up before the rest of the family and giving myself a good hour or two to myself to do all these centering activities. It’s the only way that I stay sane, happy, and feel in control of my day.
2. MINIMALISM. Have you heard of it? Or am I the last one to know about anything? I just discovered this blog and felt like I could write a symphony from the way it made my heart leap with joy. You see, I think I’ve been a wannabe minimalist my whole life, but now I have a name for it. My deepest desire in life is to just live simply. To live rich with experience and joy everyday in the everyday things. This is a great post to get started thinking in this direction, “10/10 Material Possessions Theory”.
3. INSPIRING INTERVIEW: I loved this interview with Dane Sanders and Me Ra Koh, and found it surprisingly refreshing (it really doesn’t talk much about photography, but about life). I treated myself to taking an entire 36 minutes in the middle of an afternoon to listen with my full attention and am delighted that I did. Such an inspiring conversation about how to live our lives as artists who are filling our own cups and making our lifestyle sustainable to positive energy.
4. ORGANIZATION/PRODUCTIVITY. I had a revelation as I read Erin Cobb’s post about how she organizes her time. She said that she never does housework while kids nap, but counts that time as personal time to fill her cup. I just gasped when I read that (I’m a workaholic), and felt an incredible cloud lift from my life. Since reading this post, I’ve spent Buzzy’s “nap time” reading novels, playing the piano, working on fun projects and I seriously think it has made me 100 times happier and more fulfilled. What an incredible middle of the day pick me up! Spending time on yourself! Best tip of my whole week!
5 Responses
#1 and #4 I am so jealous. If anyone has any tips on how to keep my kids from waking up early (if wake up at 4:30am and they will follow) or get myself to stay up past their bedtime, or even get my younger one to take a nap. I would be thrilled to have this time when I am awake and my children (or husband) are NOT.
I think they may be one of my biggest struggles. Having a person by my side every single second of the day. And trying to do yoga with a kid running underneath me every time he thinks I look like a bridge. Oh my.
To be fair they are reading books right now, not quite as cool as sleeping, but nice. Take that back, crying…
On a funny note. They are not allowed to have an alarm clock in their room because they use it. Early.
Oh my! My little guy doesn’t nap at all. We just have “quiet time”–which really means that I lock him in his room and promise that I won’t get mad at the consequence of destruction that happens because of it just so I can have an hour to myself 🙂 Good luck Maryanne! No breaks are hard. Especially if you are a soul that craves solitude 🙂
*that* may be my biggest struggle, not *they*
brooke, are we the SAME PERSON?? gosh. your links are always great finds but these ones are about topics I love. the morning routine thing is something I’ve wanted to make a habit of for a while, but have only recently put into practice. I have found it makes all the difference in the world for me. and the minimalist thing… YES! I want to be one too! my obsession with it started with these two kindle books: organized simplicity by tsh oxenreider and miss minimalist by francine jay. you’d probably love both of those (I like organized simplicity a bit better).
Oh Kristin! You are a kindred MINIMALIST spirit?! This is wonderful! I think the concept is so fascinating. I’m teaching a R.S. meeting this week on clearing your clutter and am trying to not appear eccentric and extreme, but it really is amazing that the less you have the more freedom you have. I subscribe to Miss Minimalists blog, but I’ll totally have to check out those books! Anything to read on the topic makes my heart soar!