The Week in Review (April 24-30, 2023)

I’m finding myself in the mood to write again, so I’m here on my neglected blog once again. I’m not really sure what this will become.  It might be the beginning of a new start, or it might be a one-time posting.  I guess we’ll all find out together.

Hits and Misses got to be a challenge for me because I sometimes found that there weren’t enough “Hits” in the week to post.  That became really depressing, so I didn’t find myself looking forward to writing each Monday.  This was further made evident when I realized that the weekly post was just a recapping of my daily journal entries.  Who wants to write the same thing twice?  I certainly don’t want to repeat the same activity if I don’t have to. So I put my blogging away and just focused on my journaling. It was the right decision for the time.

So instead of separating things into the good and the bad, the “Hits and Misses” of the week, I’m just going to write a review of the week. Sometimes there will be highlights. Other times, it might just be a purging of negative feelings. That’s fine. I don’t want your feedback or your suggestions to improve my situation, dear reader. Just be a silent observer. I have enough people who feel the need to comment on my life as it is….and quite honestly, they normally just end up pissing me off. So, keep your thoughts to yourself.  If you can’t handle that, then you can just exit my page now.

Whew….

Now that the ground rules have been established, let’s get on with the weekly review for the last week of April 2023.

Baseball season is here! In case you haven’t noticed, the boys are swinging the bats again. That gives me some kind of routine in my life again that is badly needed. Not entirely sure that I am a huge fan of the pitch clock; I get that it makes the pace of the game move along, but I kind of appreciated the calm, languid pace of the game. Now I don’t feel as though I can look away for a moment or I’ll miss something.

Recital hearing success. I’m not playing for many students these days – yeah, that’s a whole different frustration – so I don’t have as many recital hearings in my life as I used to. Thankfully, this year’s single hearing went off without a hitch on Tuesday night.  Now we just keep moving toward the big event on May 9.

Senior moment. I’m such a creature of habit. However, if something doesn’t appear on my calendar, it isn’t going to happen.  Last Wednesday, I played the weekly characterization class for opera workshop. One of the students left a few minutes early because he had rehearsal at the church.  Ok…that’s a pretty normal occurrence around here.  After class, I headed back to my office and sat down at my computer.  I had a nagging feeling that I was supposed to be somewhere else, but my calendar didn’t show anything. I just marked it up to being over committed and needing to rest after several busy days.  Around 8pm, it hit me that it was WEDNESDAY NIGHT….and I was supposed to play choir rehearsal beginning at 6:30! It had completely slipped my mind and there was nothing I could do about it except apologize and make sure the rehearsal appears on next week’s schedule. Getting old is the pits!

Weekend Getaway. Life in Plainview can be stifling at times. It’s a small community with not a lot to do. When I moved here 8 years ago, I found great joy in staying busy with collaborative opportunities and interacting with a thriving community of music students. Now, I have 2.5 hours of fulfilling music making each week (opera is over for the semester!) and the music building is a desolate and depressing barren space. Why? I have opinions about that, but I’ll keep those to myself for the time being.  I needed to get away from Plainview for a little while to find out if the problem was really centered around being in this city or if it’s just me in general.  (For the record, I don’t have a firm answer to that question yet, but I have a better idea now.) I decided to slip away on Friday afternoon and headed south to Midland for the weekend.  I reserved a small condo through AirBnb and got out of town.  Why Midland? It’s a slightly larger place than Plainview – which I like – but there’s not a lot to do and I don’t have any personal connections there.  This was just a time to get away and allow myself to refresh and recuperate. That’s exactly what I did too. I stocked the refrigerator with soda and deli meats. I got some really nice bread from HEB and a package of mini cupcakes. I shut the world out for the weekend and enjoyed the peace. There was time to watch baseball, catch up on some television, do some reading, and lots of writing and meditating. I’ve got to do this more often….for my sanity and my mental health.

Food finds. I couldn’t just stay in the condo the ENTIRE weekend though.  I ventured out Saturday morning to find breakfast and stumbled on Mulberry Café. It is a quaint little café nestled in the back corner of a strip mall. The aromas from the bakery case were wonderful, but I managed to resist their call. (I’m so proud of myself! Even if that slice of chocolate cake was calling my name…) I had a lovely ham and cheese omelet with a side of melon. I arrived at Mulberry Café just before the end of breakfast service and the place was packed! The customer who ordered just before me had found the last empty table in the room, a lovely large square oak table with seating for 10.  I did something very unusual for me – I asked her if I could join her at the table. She was very gracious and laughingly told me that it was far too much table for her to use alone. Another gentleman noticed my request and asked if he could take another corner. Even though we didn’t have a conversation together, it was very refreshing to be in a space where people felt a sense of community. It’s not something I always find when I’m out and about, and I deeply miss it.

Bookworm returns. I am finally finding joy in leisure reading again. Sometimes it just takes the right setting and the right book to snap me back into my reading. This week, I had a finish and made progress in another novel. My finish this week was To Sir Phillip, With Love.  The novel is the fifth installment in the Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn. I don’t read a ton of romances, but I have found these books charming, fun, and humorous. Sir Phillip focuses on Eloise, the spinster sister of the Bridgerton clan whose journey to love begins with a series of letters to a botanist who recently lost his wife. Little does Eloise know that Phillip is really looking for a mother for his two 8-year-old twins (who are regularly described as “monsters”) and someone to manage his neglected homestead.  I am also reading The Stepford Wives on my Kindle.  One of the prompts on my reading challenge is to read a book published in the year you were born. I’ve heard the novel referenced throughout my life and am familiar with the basic premise, so I decided to read this short one that I’ve heard so much about.  I must say that I am really enjoying the book thus far.  I’m only about a third of the way in (Thanks, Kindle!), but I am finding the satire very amusing and an enjoyable read.  When I have a moment, I’ll start a new paperback.  Up next is I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. I don’t know why I’ve always avoided this one that has received such high praise. I guess this is the time to find out for myself what I think about it.

A Weekend of Self-Care

It is Monday evening and time for my weekly update on the things that have shaped my world in the past week. There have been plenty of activities, lots of stress, and moments where I just wanted to throw my hands in the air. Thankfully, the most important moments of this week came this weekend when I simply decided that the only thing that mattered at the moment was my well-being.

Saturday morning rolled around and there were obviously things that needed my attention. The laundry was growing to the size of a small mountain. Floors needed to be swept and mopped. I definitely needed to give some attention to upcoming performances. Instead of focusing on any of those things, I decided to devote the day to myself. All of these other “things” would be there tomorrow.

On Saturday, I sat in my favorite chair and began binge-watching the latest season of Bridgerton on Netflix. When I needed a change of pace, I found humor in YouTube videos of infants and toddlers making funny faces. (I swear, it is the most relaxing thing I have ever watched!) I did a little light reading and ordered in food using DoorDash. The world didn’t spin out of orbit. Nothing collapsed because I didn’t devote attention to it. As promised, everything was still waiting for my attention on Sunday and I felt much better prepared to handle it.

Sunday morning was still very relaxed. I continued to watch Bridgerton and baby videos, but this time I was also beginning to tackle the laundry, floors, and trash. By the afternoon, I was ready to venture to campus to do a little planning for the week ahead and put in some time at the piano. (Trombone repertoire is always more difficult than I ever want to admit. I enjoy getting to play with young instrumentalists again, but I’m glad that the studio recital is on Friday evening! I need to get some of this music out of my hands and ears quickly.) It was nice to be in the office when no one else was around. I enjoyed working quietly in the silence of the building.

Did I get everything accomplished this weekend? Absolutely not. There is still laundry making its way through the wash cycle and trash that needs to be taken out tomorrow morning. But I did accomplish the most important task of the weekend. I took time to devote to my personal well-being, gave myself permission to rest, and entered the week ready to get things accomplished. Perhaps one of these days I’ll better learn the art of self-care and not have to completely shut down for an entire day to feel as though I am once again ready to face what is ahead.

Memories of Yester-year

The question posed today is quite simple. Do you remember what you were doing this time last year? When I first read the question this morning, I thought it would be an easy post to write. Every morning, one of the first things I do is reminisce about days gone by.

I don’t remember who introduced me to the app, but several years ago I got hooked on Time Hop. The app connects with your personal feeds from Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter as well as your personal photo library. Each morning, I open the app shortly after opening my eyes to see what has happened on this day in the past. Needless to say, the day that I’m asked about this specific day one year ago, I had no activity on social media at all. But I can still tell you what was absorbing most of my time in October of last year.

Six little words…..Into the Woods and Three Little Pigs. Yep, October was when things were gearing up for the Fall musical at WBU and we were preparing our first touring children’s opera. It was a busy time. It was a fun time. It was a time we were all happy to see go. It should be no surprise that my world is rather consumed with music for the stage again this year. This time, I’m frantically prepping for opera scenes in a few weeks and another touring children’s opera, Salieri’s one-act Prima la musica poi le parole.

If I don’t just focus on what was happening 365 days ago, there are some general themes that run throughout mid-October for me every year. I’m normally fighting a cold and feeling very tired. Midterms are approaching and my students are not performing as I think they should. I’m desperately looking forward to Fall Break and have begun the countdown to my departure from the Geriatric Ward. Where would I travel? Most years, I was headed back to the beaches of Malibu for sleepless nights with fraternity brothers on the Pepperdine campus. It’s been far too long since I’ve seen Jeff and Paul….even though things have changed for all of us tremendously, I think it’s almost time for a return trip….unless they want to make a trip to Vegas….or Texas….I’m just saying….

Not the Holiday I Expected

The fall semester had a rough ending for me. In the middle of finals, I got the worst stomach bug ever. Truly, I don’t recall ever being that sick — and hope to never have a repeat performance! As the week drew to a close, I was slowly regaining my strength and was ready for the comforts of the Geriatric Ward.

Since I didn’t want to overtax my body, I intentionally broke the trip into smaller segments. After spending a restful night in Gainesville, Texas, I began the final leg of the trip to eastern Arkansas. I called Mom to let her know that I was on the road, hoping to catch her before she would leave for Sunday services. Instead, I was informed that the Geriatrics were at the emergency room to check out Pop’s foot that was injured at work on Friday afternoon. Within a few hours, I got the report that we were hoping to avoid; Dad’s foot was fractured and he would wear a boot for several weeks. That wasn’t as bad as it could have been……or so we thought.

My first week at home was filled with activity — and more of it than I really wanted since I was still trying to recover my strength. I made a trip to the dentist and helped Mom finish her Christmas shopping (or as much of it as we would actually accomplish before the looming December 25 deadline because of my lack of energy). You see, my mother has gotten the idea that it is better to not purchase ANY gifts for me until I come home so we can avoid after Christmas returns. Personally, I hate doing Christmas this way, but after years of telling her this, I’ve finally accepted that this is just the way things will be.

On Friday, I had cleared my day to take Pop to three doctor’s appointments. (Yep, when I come home I pick up the mantle of taxi driver once again.) The first of these was with an orthopedist at Campbell’s Clinic to examine his foot. The examination seemed to be taking a long time, so I began to fear the worst. Just as I was preparing to ask the staff about Dad’s progress, the wheelchair rolled into the lobby carrying Pop. While his ankle was only fractured, he was now in a hard cast and we were instructed that he could put NO WEIGHT on his foot. We headed downstairs to get a walker before heading on to our next appointment. Once I saw him trying to maneuver on the walker, I knew we weren’t going to have the other follow-up visits today. He would have fallen and that was the last thing that I needed! (Besides, what was the point of having the follow-ups from his heart stint procedure that was performed earlier in the fall since Pop has completed NONE of the physical therapy prescribed? I’m just a little irate about that fact….but that’s a topic for later.)

Once we got Dad in the house, we realized that all of our upcoming plans were going to change. Pop could not navigate the Geriatric Ward’s exterior steps safely, so he would be confined to the front rooms of the house for a month. That means he is spending his days in a recliner in the living room watching a very loud television with the occasional trip to the bathroom and bedroom. That’s it! Since my parents’ home is a shotgun house, there is no escaping activity in the main room…..and Dad’s solution to any distraction to his television viewing is simply turning up the volume even more. (Have I mentioned that I helped Pop obtain hearing aids several years ago that he now refuses to wear because of the feedback he hears when he turns them up? All of our efforts to explain that a simple trip to the doctor could correct the settings and once again improve his quality of life continually fall on deaf ears.)

Needless to say, Pop’s immobility put a crimp in my holiday plans. I hoped to lounge mindlessly on the couch throughout the day and lose myself in the silence or perhaps the storyline of a new novel. I intended to get some serious practicing done in preparation for another busy semester. I’m not the type of person that can get much done when there’s lots of noise and activity around me. I briefly contemplated practicing after everyone went to bed, but I fear that I would disturb Mom’s sleep — and given the extra work Dad’s care is putting on her, she needs as much rest as she can get. (Don’t think me heartless, but I don’t worry about disturbing Dad. He’s so deaf that nothing can wake him!) Instead of practicing, I have spent much of my days in Mom’s retreat while she is at work — my old bedroom that has been repurposed with an oversized chair and television. I get as much reading done as I can, but the sound from the living room makes it challenging for me to concentrate, so I end up watching television or playing a game on my iPhone. This trip to Arkansas has certainly not turned out to be the holiday I had hoped for, but sometimes you just have to roll with the punches.

Return to L.A.

I love Los Angeles! It’s really not a secret to anyone who has known me for any length of time.  I love the weather, the culture, the vibe, and the food. So it should really not be surprising to anyone that I grabbed a bag and escaped to the west coast over the long weekend. I’m constantly asked what I actually DO when I’m in L.A., so I thought I would give you a little insight into my adventures on this trip.

THE FOOD!

Even though I am a notoriously picky eater, I like to experience lots of different restaurants while I’m traveling. On Friday afternoon, my friend and I visited Maggiano’s Little Italy at The Grove. The lasagna was exceptional. The bread was heavenly. The portions were enormous. What more could I ask for?

Perhaps the greatest discovery of the weekend was The Golden State on Fairfax. This little gem of a cafe had the BEST burger I have ever eaten! I really want to go back again to try several of the other items on the menu — including the house churned ice cream! I cannot express enough how good this hamburger really was….or maybe I can.  IF YOU ARE IN LOS ANGELES, CHECK OUT THE GOLDEN STATE!!!! (You can thank me later.)  If you’re not in the mood for ice cream after your burger, cross the street and check out the pastry counter at Canter’s Deli. There were so many things to choose from that I simply couldn’t make a decision — so I settled for the classic vanilla cupcake. YUM!

We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and I made sure that I didn’t neglect the eggs, pancakes, bacon, and toast while visiting. S & W Country Diner has become a staple for the Three Amigos when I’m in town. The eggs were fluffy and the bacon was crisp. The French toast was AH – MAH – ZING!

On our last morning together, these three fraternity brothers felt the siren call of breakfast on Malibu Beach and returned to Paradise Cove Beach Cafe (formerly known as Sand Castle). It’s in Malibu on the beach overlooking the ocean. Honestly, it’s rather expensive and the food is not incredible. The scenery and the memories are why we return here.  I mean, come on….take a look at this view! (The photo was taken of Paradise Cove from the pier.)

THE FUN!

Typically, my trips to Los Angeles are filled with catching up with fraternity brothers from days gone by and mentoring young men who are just beginning their academic journey. When I get to travel in January, things are much more relaxed and the focus shifts to my relaxation as well as enjoying time with a small circle of friends. This also means that there is more time for entertainment — so we decided to be tourists in the city we love.

The Heritage Square Museum is a collection of Victorian-era houses from throughout Los Angeles that have been moved to the outskirts of Pasadena. The homes are being restored to their original condition and visitors can be transported to another time as they enter the buildings under the watchful eye of their tour guide.

I was mesmerized by the pianos and the music that was perched on the rack. It took everything in me to keep from opening this score and snapping a picture of what was inside. If only the blasted guide would have turned her back for just a moment!

I can’t imagine playing on keyboards with a rounded edge! I would miss the black notes at the end every single time (and probably mash my fingers as well).

To bring this first day of fun to a close, we decided to catch The Greatest Showman in Century City. I absolutely loved this movie! The music was really well done and the production value was extremely high. I am still amazed by the scene between Zac Efron and Zendaya on the hoop in the circus ring. Really wonderfully filmed with a stellar cast.

Sunday meant another trip into the Hollywood Hills to check out Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hollyhock House. The hollyhock motif (a local flower that Wright greatly loved) was carried throughout both the interior and exterior of the home. Sadly, photography was not permitted inside. The grounds around the house have been turned into a lovely park in the heart of the city with an amazing view. Wright’s love of moving water and open space is evident throughout the home. Although we were not able to tour as much of the home as we had hoped (due to ADA stipulations imposed by Los Angeles County), what we did see was impressive and caused me to become much more interested in the life and work of this American master.

 

 

Lofty Plans

It has been great spending time at home surrounded by the Geriatrics. I think it was just what was needed. I shake my head when I think of the lofty plans I made before leaving Plainview.

I knew I wasn’t 100% healthy while packing, but I had convinced myself this little URI wasn’t gonna keep me down. I just knew I was going to get bored while I was in Arkansas, so I packed for a productive week. My lofty goals included 3 books, 2 piano solos, and repertoire on my iPad that still needs some attention. I was going to accomplish so much!

My body and mind had other plans. They decided to shut down as soon as I entered the Geriatric Ward. I’ve only read 40 pages of one of the books. The piano solos remain on the back seat of my car. The piano in the dining room has remained silent. I’ve simply nursed this URI by lounging on the couch while watching mind-numbing television (between the body-shuddering fits of coughing, that is).

I’m glad that my body has demanded the rest. I’m also thankful that I’m in a place where I’m not beating myself up because my self-imposed goals aren’t being accomplished. It’s taken a while, but I’m finally figuring out that there is a time to be driven and there is a time to take it easy. Both are necessary and extremely beneficial….and I plan to enjoy this week of rest before the final push to the end of the semester begins.

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A Quiet Destination

Every summer, I find myself needing to get away from the normal routine and rest for a few days with no distractions, no commitments, and no communication with the outside world. That can be a difficult thing to achieve sometimes. There are always phone calls that need to be made and people who think they are *supposed* to be privy to what’s going on in my life. Sorry folks…..that’s just not the way it’s going to happen this year.

I am setting out for a mini-vacation today. I think there are a total of 2 people who actually know where I’m going. What are my plans? Not much of anything. I’m packing a few books and some comfortable clothes and heading out. I might take in a show……or maybe a museum……or maybe just go for a walk. Or maybe I’ll enjoy the quiet of a room all to myself, free from outside interruptions.

If you call and I don’t answer, don’t fret. I’ll be returning to a normal routine on Saturday morning.  🙂

The Lesson of Pain

I’ve been going to the gym again for almost 3 weeks now. I go because I know my body needs exercise. I like the feeling to taking deep, purifying breaths. I don’t mind getting sweaty and smelly. I’ve learned to not worry about what other people are doing or what they think about what I’m doing. I don’t mind the feeling of sore muscles in the morning since those are reminders that I’m accomplishing something. What I absolutely HATE is pain….and more often than not, this is what keeps me away from the gym.

I tend to have a very low pain tolerance. As soon as something begins to hurt, I’m going to stop doing whatever is causing the pain. Thankfully I’m fairly certain that I’ve learned the difference between discomfort and pain. Discomfort is inconvenient and not a great feeling, but it’s something that I can push through and know that I’m not damaging my body. Pain is the body’s signal that something is potentially wrong and needs attention.

As I write today, I’m sitting here with knees that are making walking difficult and problems with my lower back. Every day in the gym leads to some level of discomfort in these parts of my body. Today I made it to the gym on my off day and started working out when the pain hit in my left knee. I tried to push through it until I clearly understood my body’s message…..STOP DOING THAT TODAY OR ELSE!

Pain comes to us emotionally and spiritually as well. While the physical expression of pain is hard to ignore, sometimes we push down agonizing pain that lies deep inside our spirit. I have learned over the past few months that we can use some of the same tactics we use for our body’s pains to heal the hurts in our emotions and spirit.

• Acknowledge and assess the pain. One of the first things we have to do is admit that we’re hurting. Too often we fall for the lie that the strong ignore their pain and convince themselves that it will eventually disappear if they don’t acknowledge it. Nothing is further from the truth. Physically, emotionally, and spiritually, it is essential that we admit when we are suffering and honestly assess its severity. Is this something I can just walk off or do I need to allow myself to experience intense healing?
• Determine the cause of the pain. Recently while on the treadmill I began to experience pain in my left leg. Rather than stopping immediately, I tried to identify where the pain was and what was causing the problem. This was the first step in adjusting my form and finding relief. The same is true of our emotional pain. Once we acknowledge our pain, it is important that we attempt to figure out where the pain is coming from. This allows us to modify behavior and responses in order to stop the pain from increasing.
• Ask for input. I couldn’t determine what the problem was on the treadmill, so I asked my trainer if he saw anything awkward in my work. This required me openly admitting to another person where I was hurting and allowing them to provide constructive criticism in order to alleviate the hurt. Sometimes it may be helpful to share our emotional and spiritual pain with a trusted friend and ask them to observe you and see if they notice anything you are doing to bring the pain into your life. Objective observers can often see things that we are not aware of.
• Remove the source of pain. My knee problems were associated with speed on the treadmill. Similar speeds on the elliptical and inclines on the treadmill at slower tempo did not cause pain and still accomplished raising my heart rate. Rather than allowing myself to continue experiencing pain, we eliminated the part of the routine that was causing the problem. Emotionally, we may identify that our pain source is a specific activity, relationship, or past memory. When possible, separating ourselves from the pain inducer is the first step to recovery.
• Rest! Pain doesn’t totally go away until the problem has been healed. Do I really think that I could resume my work on the treadmill the next day without any pain? Absolutely not! My body needed time to recover. We understand that rest and recovery is essential to our physical body. We are often negligent when it comes to allowing our emotions and spirit to rest as well after we’ve been hurt. Foolishly, we often jump right back into the same circumstances much too soon when we’ve been hurt. The result to our spirit is similar to what would happen to our body. We re-injure ourselves, the damage and pain is more severe, and the required recovery time is much more extensive. 

I’ve gone through the first four steps of dealing with emotional pain this year; I’m still taking my time through the resting stage. I’m not going to rush it and I’m not going to get comfortable in it either. I’m looking forward to the day that my spirit and emotions are fully restored so I can once again dive in without fear of being hurt and suffering from debilitating emotional pain.

My First Stay-cation

Since I’ve been thinking about resting for the past few weeks, I decided to take a weekend to do just that. I had planned to hop in the car and set out for places unknown. As the day of my departure drew near, I thought this would be a great opportunity to explore the idea of a “stay-cation” and share my findings with my blog readers. Instead of hitting the road, I stayed close to home and have to admit that I’m really glad I did.

If I was going to stay home, I knew that I had to make it worth my while. One of the best reasons to opt for a stay-cation is to reduce the expense of a vacation. I decided to attempt a 3-day adventure for the average cost of a hotel stay (approximately $80). I only actually had outings on Friday and Saturday, but managed to make it all happen for $57.31! That’s what I call an inexpensive weekend.

What exactly did I do?  Here’s the overview:

Friday

• Lazy breakfast at home and reading in the morning
• visit to the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art      
• lunch at Spaghetti Warehouse                           
• visit to the Benjamin Hooks Library                  
• movie rental – Quartet (Redbox)
• Dinner at home                     

Saturday

• All meals at home
• Morning of baking (for pleasure)                        
• Window shopping                                              
• Circuit Playhouse’s production of Deathtrap      

Sunday

• Morning and afternoon with family
• Quiet reading

It’s great to realize that it is entirely possible to find some relaxation without leaving home. Nothing I did was extravagant or terribly expensive. (The ticket to see the play topped the list at $35 and constituted over half of my budget.) In order to make it “feel” like an escape involved doing some things that were not typical for me in a normal week. I don’t watch a lot of DVDs at home; that was a nice change of pace and a wonderful way to end an evening. I haven’t been to the theater in several months; last Friday was my first visit to the Brooks. (I’ll share more about the thrilling exhibit I viewed next week.)

I still love getting away from it all and visiting a new location. Taking advantage of the outlets that are available close to home is a great way to recharge your batteries without breaking the bank though. 

When you have time for a stay-cation, what’s one of your favorite things to do? I’m looking for ideas since I am already planning my next weekend adventure in the near future. Share your thoughts in the comment section of the blog.

Getting the Rest You Need

We all know that rest is important, but we sometimes find it difficult to insure that it happens in our personal life. I’m still learning how to make Sabbath rest a part of my routine, but here are some things that are proving helpful at the moment. Take these suggestions for what their worth….

• Schedule, Schedule, Schedule. The more carefully I plan what needs to happen each day, the less time I waste. The less time I waste, the more I accomplish. The more I accomplish, the easier it becomes to have a day devoted to rest each week

• Write it down. I have always prided myself on having a wonderful memory and rarely having to write things down. What I’m discovering is that the physical process of writing things down purges them from my mind and provides the comfort that important things will not be forgotten. My mind can slow down…and that brings rest to my body.

• Establish a Sleep Routine. Knowing that I’m rising at the same time each morning and going to bed consistently each night puts my body into a routine. It also allows for consistently knowing when my most productive periods of the day will occur. That is a positive in so many ways!

• Exercise. Have I completely fallen off of my rocker? Does the physical exertion of exercise seriously help us to get rest? Definitely! By regularly participating in some physical activity, the body relieves stress naturally and is ready to rest fully each night. Taking care of the body helps to take care of the mind as well.

• Feed your Soul. I cannot emphasize this aspect enough. It is absolutely imperative that you set aside time each day to care for your inner man. Include it in your schedule just as you would any other appointment and protect it at all costs! You decide what activity is most beneficial for you — study, prayer, worship, meditation — and make sure that you do AT LEAST that one thing each day. As we allow our souls to connect with the Creator daily, we will find that we are refreshed and able to be productive because of His blessing.

• Relax. You know when your body has reached its limit. In those moments, give yourself permission to relax. Your optimal work time may not fit with everyone else. That’s okay! While you still have to function, as long as you are having productive periods throughout the day, you’ll get it done. 

• Reward Yourself. I plan personal activities that I enjoy at the end of each day. When I have completed the tasks on my list, I get to enjoy something special. This allows me to look forward to finishing the day’s responsibilities and gives me an extra push of energy. Additionally, set aside time for larger rewards after a particularly busy season. This might include a mini-vacation or a “stay-cation.”

When I include these steps in my routine, I find that I can get most of my duties done in six days and truly enjoy a seventh day of rest each week. It’s what God has ordained for our bodies and provides the needed energy to tackle the challenges that the following week will bring.

On Friday, I’ll share with you a little about my most recent “stay-cation.” It’s actually much easier than you might think and worth the effort.

What tips would you add to my list to help get everything done in order to have a day devoted to rest and rejuvenation?