The title seems contradictory, but I did indeed create an action plan for this season of rest.
I want this time to be intentionally restful, and not just restful because of a lack of things to do. In fact, I think I would get bored then, which is not restful. Besides, this resting time is a chance for Scott and I to create some new (better) habits and for me to do some of the things I love doing but always put off because of what Urgently Needs to be Taken Care of Right Now.
One of the most restful, recharging weeks we ever spent was on Prince Edward Island, Canada.
I have some goals for this resting period:
- I need to cultivate healthy habits: This includes drinking enough water, exercising regularly, and eating well. I also want to be able to check “get enough sleep” and “floss consistently” off my list of Things I Should Be Doing But Don’t Yet.
- I need to cultivate healthy spiritual habits: I need to prioritize carving out space for my own quiet time on a daily basis. We have been so caught up in ministry for so many years, that this has been something that has fallen by the wayside far too often when the list gets long with “to-dos.” My own soul needs fed before I can help feed the souls of others.
- I need to blog regularly: I know that blogging is not something that can necessarily be done half-heartedly. I need to set aside some time to plan out posts in advance, and then actually execute on those plans. For me, I think this looks like posting a legitimate post on Tuesdays and a book review or photo blog on Thursdays.
- I need to write: I have a half-finished novel taking up space on my hard drive, and some meaty concepts for a few others floating around in Evernote. Writing a novel has always been my dream, ever since I made my first bucket list as a 12-year-old before bucket lists were even a thing. Writing a novel is something I need to do for me, or I am always, always going to regret it.
- I need to spend more quality time with Scott: We’ve been married for over eight years now and still haven’t figured this one out. We’ve always said “yes” to everyone else first, and then tried to squeeze in time together in the cracks. We usually only realize that we have a free Friday night when Friday night arrives, and then we are too tired to even think about leaving the house again. We are looking to change that, to spend time together dreaming and praying and eating real food intentionally, and not just when it is convenient.
I’m still figuring out what all this looks like and how to balance even these five things with a full-time job and some freelance projects. I’m taking an extra day off for Labor Day this year to help kick off a season of rest well, and I’m planning to use some of that time to create what I hope will be an ideal schedule each work day and each weekend day, knowing that it is “ideal” and not set in stone.
What about you? Have any habit-building tips for me? I’d love to hear what has helped you build and sustain a tough habit for a long period of time.