While I was in Denver for Christmas I had dinner with one of my closest and oldest friends. We’ve known each other since college which means she’s been by my side through a lot of life.
We really cemented our friendship back then because we were both living at home during college and commuting to school via bus. She’d get on the bus down by her house then a few stops later I’d get on. She’d save me a seat and I would entertain her with my naive and immature antics. She was the kind of person who got up early, ate a well balanced breakfast, stopped for coffee and calmly boarded the bus and chose a seat in the front. I was the kind of person who barely woke up on time, rushed to get ready and clamored on the bus with a diet coke and pop tarts in my hand, collapsing in the seat next to her.
I wish I was kidding.
While we were catching up, we were talking about our routines. She’s a really structured person, still – and I’m still mostly a hot mess. I mean I’ve grown a lot, I no longer drink diet coke at 7:00 a.m. But I still have a hard time with this mysterious thing people call rhythm.
I’ve long surpassed the time when a rhythmless life is acceptable, but I blame it on two things – being single/childless and my job. I don’t have a normal 9-5 and there are no kids around to dictate my schedule. Therefore, I make up my own and as I’ve learned about myself – I have fairly little discipline in my personal life. I mean the big things I can handle but going to bed at a reasonable time? Not sleeping in too late? Not watching too much TV? There’s not much hope for me there. (That’s a little bit of a joke.)
The problem is my weekly schedule has no real structure. Sure there’s a meeting or two that happens every week but for the most part, it changes week to week. At least 1-2 nights a week are late nights at church but it’s never the same two nights. I have the freedom to work from home or a coffee shop – which is great, but sometimes too much freedom makes it difficult. Scheduling regular times to work out, cook, clean, do laundry etc has become a challenge. I think, I have plenty of time to do that later in the week and then it never happens.
But alas – we are in a new year and it’s time to make some resolutions right? No – I’m still not a resolution person. But people all around me are starting new things, so let’s see if I can!
I’ve tried a lot of different techniques over the years that work for a couple weeks and then don’t anymore. I’m still not sure how I’m going to do it, but that’s part of the adventure right?
Here’s my list of things I hope to get back into my life on the regular:
Taking care of myself physically
This encompasses a lot of different things.. vitamins, work outs, sleep and cooking myself real meals. These are all things I struggle with but know I need. I need to eat better and spend less money on going out. I need sleep (duh!). I need to work out, more for my sanity than for anything else (and there’s a gym in my complex!) And I need to get back into taking my vitamins – especially vitamin D. Moving from Colorado to Illinois was hard if only because of the lack of sunshine here. If you struggle during the winter months – vitamin D really does make a difference!
Less TV, more other things.
Living alone means that sometimes I use TV as background noise. I find myself struggling to find something to watch and then not actually watching it. So one thing I’m going to try for a season is not turn the TV on before 6:00 p.m. with the only exception on ONE of my days off. Let’s see if replacing TV with music helps me to not go crazy in my quiet apartment. (And don’t tell me to enjoy the silence – I don’t and I just can’t do it.)
The other piece of this puzzle is to listen to more podcasts, more regularly. I have gotten into the habit of listening to some while I get ready and while I drive and it really changes out I interact with the world. I’m currently listening to the Relevant Podcast, Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey, Serial and to keep me laughing – Heather Dubrow’s World.
Uping my Spiritual Life game
One thing I’ve been really lacking in my life is intentional time in God’s word. (What?! But your a pastor! How can that be?) I’ve fallen into that trap that a lot of pastors do – I only read the bible when I need to for work. Sure, I read other books and devotionals that reference the bible, but actual time with the bible – it’s very limited. So this year I’m joining a challenge set by one of the women I follow on Instagram – to read the whole bible chronologically in 2016. I got a new journaling Bible for Christmas so I’m pretty excited.
More writing
And of course – like I say every time I post – I’m going to write more. Hopefully I will be chronically how I do with getting these things into my life. Plus I will keep up with the #FridayFives.
Here’s to trying to find rhythm to my hodge podge lifestyle in 2016. What are you trying new in 2016?
adventures in living an abundant life