I did a little brainstorming -- following some guidelines from Simple Mom -- and discovered a couple of recurring themes. One: home clutter is making me crazy. Two: incorporating gratitude in daily life is important to me.
Luckily, these are two actionable items. As for clutter -- it's not easy, but it's a matter of taking time to GET IT OUT. In fact, one of the phrases I jotted down during my brainstorming session was "give things a home or get them out." I think that's a good place to start. If I'm saving something because maybe I'll need it, or I haven't looked at it in a year, or I didn't even know I had it, why am I keeping it??? I am a person who becomes mentally and emotionally cluttered when I'm overwhelmed by stuff. It's time to give myself the clarity I need by clearing out my closets, drawers and cabinets.
As for gratitude -- I realized I have the perfect outlet for bringing more into my life, and you're looking at it. My goal is to make a weekly blog posting about the things in my life I'm grateful for. Especially since I've become a mom, I often have "grateful moments" at the most random of times. It may be a simple, unprompted "thank you" sign from Kellan when I give him a snack or pull a toy out from under the sofa. It may be a little squeeze on the shoulder from Michael that reminds me we're in this life together. Whatever it is, it's time to document those little things that make my life worth living.
So, how am I doing on both fronts? Well, this weekend I found a couple of cheap organizing items at Target that helped me control some of the clutter in Kellan's room in 10 minutes. I also spent about 30 minutes gutting the refrigerator and cleaning shelves. I wish I had photos to share, but trust me. It was in that state where container upon container is precariously balanced and you're kind of scared something will fall out on you when you open it. It was bad.
On the gratitude front -- I had a moment during storytime tonight. We got to the part in Time for Bed where the mommy in the book tucks her little one in. Kellan always points to her and says, "Mommy!" I always reply "Yeah, that's right." At that point, he usually puts his hand on my arm and says, "Mommy." That alone melts my heart. But tonight, he gave my arm a firm squeeze, looked up into my eyes, and smiled. I can assure you at that moment I was not thinking about his lengthy crying jag after waking up from today's nap, or about the rice throwing incident (yeah, the sticky kind) at dinner. It just hit me what a sweet boy he is and how lucky I am to have him.
So I may not have traditional New Year's resolutions this year, but I think I have something that makes sense for me. A couple of important, doable areas to work on that will bring more clarity and joy into my life. And isn't that what resolutions are supposed to be about?
The story about Kellan just made me misty! He is such a sweet boy and I miss you both very much! As for the organization, I totally agree. It seems that whenever things in my life are going 100 miles per hour, if I stop and spend 30 mins pick up the crap that always seems to accumulate around my home, life will instantly slow down. Plus, I think you're like me, that no matter what, you really can't relax unless your house (or at least the room you're trying to relax in is clean.) And well, you've met Matt so you know what I'm up against in life. Ah...the things we do (or put up with) for love!
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