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I’d rather write than talk. Nobody interrupts! Posting monthly or less now--see below. |
My original purpose for this blog, which I started in August of 2019, was to see if I could maintain consistency, to discover what I want to write about, and to find my writing voice. In January, I started a "niche-less" blog at Wordpress.com where I've published weekly. -- Kit’s Kontemplations  . -- I'm preparing to start a Catholic blog on Wordpress.com where I'll post weekly, and another site to put the rest of my writing. I also want to spend more time reading other blogs and offering thoughtful comments, both here on WDC and elsewhere. At most, I will publish once a month at no set time in this blog starting in September of 2020. Thank you to those who have read and rated any posts on this blog. I really appreciate it. I did NOT want to write “about” me on this blog. I wanted to share my interests, discoveries and maybe a few useful insights. If anything I've written helps even one person, whether or not they respond to the post, then this blog has been successful. |
| I struggle with balance as much physically as in other areas. I tend toward extremes with my activities where I’ll spend a lot of time on one, and neglect many others. I’ve seen myself spend every spare minute doing Sudoku puzzles and forget all my other hobbies, not to mention chores. If I am doing something new or something I’ve not done in a really long time, it will be all I care about and everything else is an unwelcome distraction. I’ve found balance, through consistent effort over many months around nutrition and weight. A “before” picture would show me eating far too much from the “junk” food group, obsessed with my weight, constantly comparing myself with others and unwilling to make any sacrifices to improve my situation. The key I discovered was a process of “renewing my mind” to gain a willingness to have and to follow lifetime boundaries with food. This process included journaling about my thoughts prior to breaking my boundaries and considering in which ways these thoughts were false and self-sabotaging. The boundaries I set around eating were not limited to which foods I would not eat. The boundaries I set two years ago included:  no eating except sitting at the kitchen table only one snack in the evening no activity while eating except spiritual reading or Sudoku puzzlesAs for the food itself, my main boundary was no sweet treats except on Sundays and social occasions that were not regular occurrences with family and specific friends. When I was first losing weight, I often didn’t have them on Sundays, either. I lost 25 pounds in eight months and now, two years later, I’ve kept it off. If I applied this process to develop the habit of going to bed consistently by a certain time, I would not rely so much on caffeine, I’d have more physical energy and mental clarity. I’d be less tempted to eat outside my boundaries, especially when I’m tempted to procrastinate on something, usually writing or housework. Why is it that the thing most beneficial to our well-being, success and general effectiveness in life is the thing we resist with all our strength? Setting boundaries with others helps me to stay balanced. Knowing that I can say “no” when that is what I need to do is very freeing. There are periods when work demands more time and energy than at other times. If you know how and when these cycles will happen, you can let important people in your life know what will be happening and in what ways you’ll be less available. Boundaries are statements of intent that you put in place to protect you from the conflicting demands of daily life. Many of us are pushed and pulled in so many directions that our days are a whirlwind of too many things to do and too many decisions to make. Take the pressure off yourself, check out this post on some simple steps to help you focus on what’s important to you and why setting boundaries is the ultimate self-care. There was a time when I often spent money impulsively. Now it rarely happens. I found that I was more likely to do it with books so I started avoiding book stores. I decided that before I could buy a new book, I had to complete two unread ones I already had. I also stopped looking at book catalogues that came in the mail. Yarn is more of a temptation now so I’ve started avoiding that section of Walmart unless I need a specific colour for my current project. The place where I need to set a self-care boundary is with sleep. Even though I’m retired and living the COVID semi-isolated life, I have a routine and things to do. Ideally I’d get up at 9:00 a.m. and go to bed by midnight or 1:00 a.m. at the latest. It’s not unusual for me to get to bed a couple of hours later than that. The next day I drink extra coffee in order to function mentally. On some days, I take a nap. On most days, I do both. Setting the boundaries so that I get to bed on time is easy. Following them? Well, that rarely happens. Maybe I’m not yet sufficiently convinced of their benefits. Reflect *bullett* Have you experienced other people setting boundaries with you? How did that make you feel? *bullett* Have you set boundaries with yourself? If so, were you able to keep them after some practice? *bullett* Have you set boundaries with other people? If not, what stops you? *bullett* Would you be willing to set boundaries to break a bad habit? If so, how would you decide which one to start with? Sources Instead of Work-Life Balance, Try Focusing on Boundaries WHY SETTING BOUNDARIES IS THE ULTIMATE SELF CARE 10 Great Things That Happen When You Set Boundaries Creating Boundaries Between You and Your Bad Habits Monique from Ottawa, Canada No matter what, WRITE! |
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Yes, I know some people do that but I'm a creative writer not a journalist. Poetry sells ... but it's a money-maker for only a few. I write A LOT. Almost 180 pieces since Spring equinox. My goal is 300-400 per year. One year I went over 1,000. I need to do more editing, polishing, sharing, submitting. Writer's block? Who has time for that? I don't.