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How about those clean counters huh?!?!
I don't know about you, but I have a mostly love with a teensy tiny bit of hate relationship with this challenge. I am LOVING showing up for myself and that my house is staying so much tidier, but I'm still grumbling a bit over doing the things.
You know that I love all things home design, and I'm intentional about what goes in to a room, right down to how I want people to feel when they walk in. I'm starting to realize that I've been missing the most important part of designing a home, and that is running it well. The rooms can be gorgeous, but if everything else is chaos in the house it swallows up pretty design whole.
If the every day things that we don't get to, don't think to, or don't want to do accumulate into designing a household that feels like constant chaos, then what does every day things that we do get to, think to, and want to because they are automatic habits in our routine accumulate to? A life designed well.
Home, on purpose.
I keep receiving these emails from you guys with things like "This is really making a difference in my life", and "Thank you" and they make my heart so full, but what I really want to do is THANK YOU. I can see this community growing in to something so important, and see my life changing along the way with yours.
You may notice that my site has a brand new look. This is a step in a new direction for me- a step towards making content available for you all, this community, to make our lives easier and simple.
In other words, resources for helping us design our home life, on purpose.
I'm so excited for what is in store for this community, and am so glad you are here (have a look around at our new corner of the internet!).
For now, let's get to the way we are shaping our habits for a peaceful home life this week.... this one is going to surprise you:
Small Habit: Time to Rest
I know, I know. We were on such a roll! Stacking those habits, keeping up on things! Don't worry, we are still in the routine. We are still doing the things. We just are going to take at least 15 minutes a day to stop doing the things.
15 minutes may seem like nothing to some people, and a lot to others. Here's the catch- I want you to make it really count every day. Do something that is just for you, that recharges your batteries. Maybe it's a gentle walk, reading in your favorite corner, doing a meditation, sitting in silence, or a long hot bath.15 minutes is the minimum, so feel free to go as long as you need.
I also challenge you also to make your rest time dumb- no smart devices (or if you are using for music or something, put it away from you where you aren't tempted to check it). Let your brain and body actually slow down and really rest.
I have some of my favorite ways to rest linked at the bottom of this page if you are looking for ideas.
Weekly Challenge: A Day of Rest
I challenge you to figure out how to take a whole day of rest every week. Judaism, Christianity, Catholicism, Islam, and other religions even have commandments surrounding this practice, called Sabbath. Resting is such an integral part of our lives, and one that today's modern society steals from us.
This may be the most difficult challenge yet. I know for me, Saturdays would be ideal for a Sabbath day. It's our weekend, but I have been using the first 5 or so hours of the day to go to a coffee shop and work while my husband watches the kids. Sundays are usually busy for us, and we end up usually at church and then grocery shopping and setting up for the week.
Taking this time to rest will involve planning, and, though it seems extremely counterintuitive, work. But I'm going to try really hard to make Saturdays a day of rest and fun for our family because we desperately need it. I'll report back next week (you are going to be so excited for next week's free resource!), and I'd love to hear how it goes for you.
One of my Favorite Books:
A mug that keeps your tea warm for you:
Speaking of tea, some of my favorites:
The heating pad that relaxes my strained neck and back: