Persevering in April

Persevering in April had to do with setting limits, doing what I know needs to be done, and nature. I continued to minimize, ridding our home of even more junk, and we are spending as much time in nature as possible before the summer heat destroys that option. Here are other ways we persevered.

Health

April was a weird month for health issues. Wren, despite being in remission and on a gluten-free diet, had some issues that are connected to having Celiac. We went through this same thing two years ago, and she was not pleased to know we'd have to work to get her through these problems again. Neither was I, but I've come to understand something since last time: you can do all of the right things and still end up with wonky results.

I should have already known this, but I prefer the narrative that says if you follow all the rules nothing bad happens. Where this affects me health wise is that the minute I follow the rules and things go off course, I don't want to follow them anymore. I didn't eat bread for a day and didn't lose five pounds? Fine, bring on the rolls.

Health decisions are long term and may or may not work out. It's still worth it, so in April I worked harder on thinking about the long haul as opposed to the immediate result. Even then, I could be one of those people who has a heart attack while running a marathon. Just kidding, I would never run a marathon. You see my point though. I eat well because it generally makes me feel better, I work out because it's good for me, we go gluten-free because even if Wren does still occasionally have issues, it's better than what would happen if we didn't. I'm trying to keep my motives right even when things go wrong, knowing that there are no guarantees but that I generally have better luck with spinach than pork rinds.

Social Media

I am not here to denounce all social media. You are probably reading this blog post because you saw it on one of my social media pages. But in April I made some conscious decisions in this area that served me well.

I can't totally pull away from all social media because of my freelance work, but there were days I didn't go near it. When I did, it was for quick glances and not never-ending scrollfests. I used it to promote articles but not to advertise the everyday events in my life, and I enjoyed that approach.

Social media is not in and of itself evil, but it's not often a place I walk away from feeling better. For practical uses, it's good. However, when I'm reaching for it as a comfort tool, I am not really comforted, and I end up sad about the time I lost staring at a screen discovering all the ways I disagree with people I know. I'm going to continue to keep consumption low and enjoy the time it affords me.

Delaying Gratification

It's kind of retro, but delayed gratification is awesome. Yes, it's a fancy way of saying waiting for what you want, which is not something we do often anymore. However, like snail mail or counting down until Christmas, it can evoke some strong positive feelings.

I knew I wanted a certain book and that I was going to have to purchase it, but I waited for weeks before I finally did. When I finally had it in my hands, it was a delicious feeling. Inspired by that experience, I now have a few items and experiences on my list, but I'm savoring the time leading up to actually possessing them.

Positive Spin

I've set some limits for myself in hopes of achieving certain goals, and that's not a super fun thing to do. Instead of falling into the habit of saying, "No, I can't do that", I've flipped the words. Now I say, "Yes, I can do this."

No, I can't eat chocolate three days in a row, but yes I can take myself on a nice walk and throw back some kombucha. I still don't get the chocolate, but framing the conversation in my head around what I can do instead of what I can't makes the whole experience more empowering.

Breaking It Down

Our house is almost 20 years old, and I love it. However, it needs work in many areas, and we are trying to do some small things in between raising kids and D finishing college. The problem is that I get overwhelmed easily in the face of home anything. Repairs, design, it all stresses me out.

I finally broke down my big picture to identify tiny tasks I could work on slowly that will eventually lead to the big picture. This has kept me from getting completely paralyzed by how big all these projects seem. One step at a time, one room painted, one washing machine replaced, one picture hung on the wall. We'll get there.

Kept Finding Green

We made time for outside every day possible. We played and hiked through nature preserves, sprinted past overly friendly geese on walks with friends, and just found ways to see green while we can still get out.

Summer is fast approaching, and there's only so much hiking you can do in Texas in July without having a heat stroke. There's always swimming, but I need a canopy of green over my head and birds chirping to feel like I am fully immersed in nature. Chlorine is a poor substitute, so I will continue to drag everyone outdoors to hang out under tall tress until triple digit temperatures stop me.