Once again, here I am with my weekly progress report on my goal for 2010. One Step is a promise to myself that, instead of measuring myself by all the things I DON’T get done, I will focus each day on the little things that I AM able to do. I keep a journal, recording the things I’ve accomplished at the end of each day. I promised myself one step each day toward a better me and a stronger family. Anything more than that is icing on the cake. This process is doing something interesting for me. In addition to helping me overcome my tendency to live in the gap between my expectations and my performance, it is also helping me to recognize that real change takes time. For the first time in my life, I feel like time is on my side. Oh, I’m not wishing to rush through life, but I recognize that each week lived is a week of learning and hopefully a week of moving “ever forward, but slowly” to where I feel I need to be. At the end of the year, I hope to look back and discover that I’ve become a happier, healthier, more balanced me.
Ok, here I go. This week’s steps: 71 steps. I’ll take it.
Highlights:
1. After spending several hours in doctor’s offices, we found a great specialist who was able to confirm that my daughter’s ankle is NOT chipped, and that the soft tissue injury should heal well on its own. Relief! (I’m hoping that my son’s finger injury will end happily, simply and inexpensively also.)
2. I finished a book and started another one that I’m enjoying.
3. A hard thing happened this week. I had a lot of thinking to do. I feel like I’ve sorted through it well, learned positive lessons about how I can improve, and managed not to harbor hard feelings as a result. Victory!
4. Another brother and his boys spent a few days visiting us. I had some great conversations with him, and loved having his sons here with us. I especially loved reading them to sleep a couple of times. A special memory for me.
5. On Monday when my parents were still in town I jumped in the car with them and we went to a couple of fun shops. I can’t remember the last time it was just me with my Mom and Dad, and I enjoyed it.
6. I tried a new recipe and shared another one with friends.
7. I’ve been focusing on being aware of my feelings, and trying not to let my heart shrivel up and withdraw when I feel tired, sad, discouraged, stressed, etc. Today at Church I was having one of those mornings when so many little things go wrong that you feel like a loser, and I was tempted to just let my heart shrivel into self-protect mode. I recognized what was happening and forced myself to open my heart, engage in what was going on around me, talk to the people sitting nearby and just try to learn how they were really doing. It worked! I learned some things I didn’t know, chatted with a friend I haven’t seen enough lately, connected with two women I really like, and discovered that two other women I know share a hobby: quilting. Hooray for having an open heart!
8. I wrote some thank you notes, wrote in one daughter’s journal, and went back and filled in the gaps in our family guest book.
9. Last night my husband and I went to dinner with some friends we really admire. We then took them to this year’s BYU Ballroom Dance performance. Wow. We’ve attended this event every year for 8 or 9 years now, and love it. This year’s performance did not disappoint.
This week was spring break, and we’ve also had company in town for 9 of the last 10 days. I don’t think any of us feel ready for what’s about to hit tomorrow morning, so my last step for the week is to swallow the stress, go to bed and face it in the morning!
I hope the coming week is full of sunshine and purposeful steps in the direction of your dreams!
Jennifer
