By I had plans to spend each day in September focused on me — not in a selfish way, but in a self-care + act-of-self-love way. I prepared by creating a list of possible methods for focusing on me (aka, 30 days of me) and even made it so far as scheduling individual items on specific days. I also found this really cool calendar to use as inspiration.
In no particular order, this was my list: float, pedicure, run, digital day off, bath, yoga, meditate, book store, phone date with family, yummy treat, read for one hour, complete seasonal wheel of life, sit outside/be in nature, go on a picnic, buy fresh flowers, go on a leisurely walk, create something, write, look at the stars, connect/spend time with a friend, fancy coffee drink, stretch, embrace JOMO (joy of missing out), celebrate silence, do nothing. And, as you’ll see below in my September reflections list, I did complete a fair amount of these, as well as a few others I hadn’t originally listed.
But, you know how it goes — you have the best-laid plans but then life gets in the way. Suffice to say I did not succeed in the daily act of focusing on me by completing an item on the list for each day but I did knock out quite a few of them. Going with the progress-over-perfection mindset, I’m going to call it a win.
“Half the things in this life I wish I could remember and the other half I wish I could forget.” ― Commonwealth
September highlights
read two books
completed some “30 days of me” activities
stayed on plan for WW
completed second course (plus half of third) for positive psychology online certification
floated
met birthday weight goal
artist date at Tattered Cover
book club
Georgetown Railroad + Lebanon Mine tour
celebrated another trip around the sun
birthday trip to Western Colorado wine country
wrote encouraging notes on postcards + left them in library books I returned
Labor Day in SoDak with family
hair cut + color
finished resin portion of table project
saw The National + checked out a new local music venue
left The National concert because it was boring and because I can
many library visits
pedicure + relaxing at my favorite local spa
Rockies beer fest
cheered on the Rockies for the last time in 2019 😦
enjoyed Miss Saigon
started weekly “three good things” practice + blog post
wrote + posted four blog posts
started one-month Tranquility Salon Online
survived layoffs (work)
drinks + dinners + phone dates with friends
welcomed autumn
October intentions + what I’m looking forward to
make continued progress on our dining-room table project
explore creating a blog newsletter
host bottle share party
see Augusten Burroughs
book club
complete annual health check + physical
complete third course of positive psychology program
begin fourth course of positive psychology program
40 by 40 update (less than one year to go!)
celebrate E’s brithday
lunches, dinners and celebrations with friends
continue eating mindfully + on plan
date night + try out Uchi
participate in + complete Tranquility Online Salon
Glow in the Gardens at local botanic gardens
one artist’s date
write + post four blog posts
float
open tabs
Sweet Darkness (poem)
The Beauty of the Ordinary
A History of the American Public Library
10 Findings That Contradict Medical Wisdom. Doctors, Take Note.
The Crane Wife
New York Times Crosswords (daily)
The Wild Words podcast
Drawing as Self-Discovery: 5 Ways to Start
NaNoWriMo
Why Owning Your Experiences Puts You in the Drivers Seat of Your Life
How to Write a Book: Everything You Need to Know in 20 Steps
trajectoryoflife.com 