Be Kind to Yourself

Using a handwritten planner is often outside the scope of my abilities.  It requires remembering to consistently check the planner when I make plans and carrying it all the time. I cannot do either of those things.  But a few years ago I discovered the 5-Second Journal and I do enjoy using it.  It is a type of planner, but simplifies the planning process to help focus on the most important items and make progress.  I really love using it when I need to get refocused or if I am struggling to get a project done.  

One of the things that I appreciate about this planner is that it requires me to take inventory of how I feel each time I am using it.  The reason for this is because I should not anticipate getting as much done on a day where I am starting at depleted compared to when I am starting energized.  This idea has really resonated with me because it has proven itself to be true.  I had not previously considered that how I felt at the beginning of the day should impact my expectations for the day. 

As we turn the corner into a weekend full of holiday celebrations, I have many friends who are depleted.  Their energy has been exhausted since Thanksgiving and the festivities of the upcoming days are just consistent reminders of loss and heartache.  As I write this post, they are close to my heart - a mother who has lost two children and a husband, a husband who lost his wife a year ago, the older couples who buried their only children in the past few days and weeks, families sitting near to death in hospital rooms and bedrooms, and so many others.  I know they are in a depleted state.  And I hope and pray that they are able to be gentle with themselves and show kindness to their broken hearts during this time and that their communities will support them in this. 

We are often hardest on ourselves.  We set the unrealistic expectations, get frustrated when it they are unachievable expectations, and lash out at the people we love because we need to let off some steam to keep from exploding.  As the holidays happen, perhaps we should assess our state of being more frequently than daily, perhaps  event by event or moment by moment.  As we do, I hope that we can adjust our expectations for ourselves, for our events and for our people. 

Be kind to yourself. Your doing the best you can. So is everyone else. So be kind to them as well.

 If you want to check out the planner,  you can learn more about here: https://5secondjournal.com/science/.