Things that bring my joy

Do you ever go through you day and feel like you did a bunch of stuff for everyone else but yourself? Do you think, oh I will get around to doing a girl's night or a mom's day out? I can be the same way. It left me feeling empty and frustrated. And even when I did take the time to do something special, I didn't usually walk away with the magical refresh I had hoped for because there had been such drought in between.

 Now, I fully recognize this was a choice I was making. It made me cranky and overwhelmed so I decided to start making some changes to help put in some joy for me each day. I haven't quite mastered it yet but I am learning. Here are few examples:

1) Candles- I love them so each morning when I come downstairs, I light one. It reminds me to say a prayer of peace and make me happy. I do the same when I get home.

2) Music- I am listening to music I enjoy...everywhere! At home, in my office, on my commute. My choices change daily but thanks to Amazon Prime, I have lots of preset playlists to choose from.

3) Exercise- I leave my desk most days for some kind of exercise. I got to the gym or take a walk outside. Something to help care for me physically and

4) Coffee/Tea- I treat myself to a cup of tea or coffee in the afternoon. It helps me relax and gives me a boost for my commute.

Adding in a few easy things has made a big difference for me. Don't wait to enjoy life until a special occasion, may everyday special!

Laundry

Like many busy families, the task of keeping up with laundry can be a challenge. I have started doing a few thing that have made it easier to keep up and have changed my mindset so I thought I'd share.

1) I try to do one load per day several days a week. Sort at night, wash in the morning. If I time it right, I can get it into the dryer by the time we leave the house for the day. I either fold  at night or the next morning.

2) I sort all the clean clothes in to individual baskets by person. This makes the putting away so much easier! I am no longer running room to room.

3) I am constantly downsizing clothes. The kids have too much, we all have too much!  I am not where I want to be yet, but I am working on it. Less clothes means, less pile up.

4) Having a washer, dryer, and clothes is a blessing. We sometimes overlook the simple things. I remind myself that this chore is a sign of how blessed I am to have family, clothes to wear, and live in a home with all these conveniences.

Change is hard

Change is hard for me. It has been almost a year since I left my job and started a new job with a completely new federal agency. It has been tough in ways I did not expect. I assumed I'd have to adjust to new people and a new culture, but I never expected to lose my reputation or to miss my people so much. I was with my old agency for 12.5 years, I started right out college and while I moved around a few times there was usually a familiar face on the other side. Someone who knew me, who knew my work, etc.  My new job has a familiar face or two but now in my direct chain of command. The learning curve have been super steep and the stress level can be high.  I have doubted myself more times than I can count.  I have tried hard to make a good impression, making concessions that sometimes made me feel sad inside. I have been more tired, more snippy, more anxious. It is like I have spent the better part of a year in a vacuum. It has been tough. 

And oh my gosh, how I have missed my people. The people I had been sharing life with for years and working towards a common goal. Those I could turn to for work or personal problems and left there desk feeling better.

The flip side of this has been an immense amount of personal and professional growth. Each day, I am proving to myself how tough I can be in the face of adversity and how I can adapt when I am constantly being stretched beyond my comfort zone. And I am making new friendships, slowly learning to trust people and allowing my personality to come out. I also know I am pretty darn good at my new job, I have learned so much in a short amount of time. 

So I am not ready to give up...yet. I realize I have some personal adjustments I need to make to help me better deal with the new environment. I am working through those now and hoping to put some better habits firmly in place. For me this is a great time of year to do this, the pace is slowing somewhat at work just in time with the holiday season where I intend to focus on gratitude and celebrating joy everyday. 

I am smart enough, I am good enough, and I can do this!