Breathe in the Moment

“A quiet and modest life brings more joy than a pursuit of success bound with constant unrest.” 

~Albert Einstein

It's been a slow paced summer here and as I look back over the month of July, I'm finding it hard to remember how the month seemed to have slipped by without me doing much of anything. I'm not really hating that though. I have a tendency to plunge in to one thing after another and the pace does bring about a certain amount of anxiety.

I've been trying to live in the moment and just enjoy what's in front of me. I still have meetings and work to do, but I've also been enjoying puttering around my house and getting it in order.

Besides cleaning and organizing, I've also been able to do some of the things I enjoy.

I prepped some cucumbers and veggies for relish. The plan this afternoon is to can this.

I've made the shift to mostly homemade cleaners since most of the commercial cleaners bother my skin. I've been experimenting with different scents. This one is orange and thyme which is steeping in vinegar. I'll strain this and add equal parts of the vinegar mixture and water with a drop or two of dish soap. It works great as an all-purpose cleaner.

A friend asked if I would like to participate in a craft show next weekend that will benefit the library she works at. Since I have a lot of inventory left, I said yes. I did make a few aprons to include. I've been loving the slower pace even with sewing and have been able to be a bit more creative with my designs by adding some embellishments to the pockets. I was starting to feel like I worked in a sweat shop before as I had to churn out so much inventory. It's nice to slow down and put more thought into each piece. 

I've been able to be creative in the kitchen as well. I'm trying to be mindful about using up what we have so nothing goes to waste. I made a pot of black beans last week for a salad I was putting together. I also saved some for later in the week and used them last night to make vegetarian fajitas with homemade tortillas. It was so simple and light and yet, delicious. 

Earlier in the week I made a Mexican style chicken with rice.  

Yesterday didn't necessarily go as planned. I had to search through files looking for documentation for Nathan's case manager for his disabilities. In the process, I spent most of the day sorting our files, filing piles of paperwork and organizing things. It wasn't what I set out to do in the morning, but it was actually on my list of things to do this year so it ended up being a productive day.

“Real luxury is not working like a maniac to take an expensive vacation—it is living a life you enjoy every day.” 
~Kathy Gottberg

I have a tendency to have difficulty with down time. I have an inner urgency that makes it hard to relax without guilt. I'm not sure where that comes from, but it can be mentally exhausting to feel like I have to fill every moment with activity or to always feel like I should have done something more. I plunge in and volunteer for so much and I'm learning to say, "No." "I don't want to do that" and to be okay with saying no even if someone gets upset with me. 

I am also working hard to learn to be okay with a slower pace. I also am trying to pace myself and to not to get so hyper-focused on an activity to the detriment of all else. 

While I was filing paperwork yesterday, I made a point of getting up every hour and going to do a 10 minute activity that would make me move. So I went out and pulled a few weeds. I cleaned my bathrooms and threw in a load of laundry. I sat outside and had a cup of tea. I just took little breaks so I wasn't spending 7 straight hours staring at mounds of paper.

After dinner last night, Dan and I went out on the back patio and just sat and chatted for about 30 minutes. As I did that I felt a lot of the stress of the day fade away and it allowed us to reconnect. 

I know I talk a lot about simple living here on this blog, but I do find there is value in that. It creates a lot more internal peace than constantly striving for more and never being able to stay in the moment. I'm not always successful at achieving this, but I certainly desire it. 

“The world is run by worn-out people, and our soul is often lost beneath the piles of our everyday life.” 

~Emily P. Freeman

So take some time to sit, relax, breathe in the air and enjoy the moment. Have a great day, my friends!