Sabbath for Discipline

Today is my sabbath when I step out of the fray, and regroup. We are at the beginning of the end of summer, and I want to take time to prepare myself - body, mind, and spirit.

My perfect sabbath is a celebration, a holiday. I keep it holy with my attitude: I don't rush, complain, or worry. Everything I do has a flavor of peace. I schedule some work, but it's work I find fulfilling, or uplifting. Simple is a great word to describe my ideal activities for the sabbath: Simple tasks, simple foods, and an undemanding schedule.

And since I'm recovering from norovirus, I'm going to need two naps!

Agenda:

1. Stoic musings

2. Renewal plans

3. Purpose review

1. Stoic musings: 

“We should every night call ourselves to an account; What infirmity have I mastered today? What passions opposed? What temptation resisted? What virtue acquired? Our vices will abort of themselves if they be brought every day to the shrift.” ~ Seneca

The Stoic philosophers are famous journal keepers. Every morning, I will take time to examine what happened the day before, what I did and said, then envision and prepare for the day ahead. Remind myself of the wisdom I have learned.

This week my focus is on taking tiny steps on my Big House Project, having the discipline to keep on schedule, paying attention to the details, and communicating well with my team.

Journal: So far, so good. We successfully collected bins and I started the big task of sorting, repacking, and clearing out the old cabinets in the studio. I took some days off to go to the ocean, then be really sick, and so now I'm regrouping and putting in the steady time it will take.

2. Renewal Plans:

Every week on Sunday I check in to see if I'm taking care of my self. The self-renewal process must include balanced renewal in all four dimensions of my life. 

 Am I spending about one hour a day on a combination of physical, mental, and spiritual activities?

 Am I working daily to improve my social skills?

 Am I making gradual changes from day to day to maintain and improve the things that help me to accomplish my work and other desires?

Plan this week: 

• Better food discipline - eating a better breakfast and less junk food.
• Walk every day - set some destination plans.
• Drawing motifs - make a basket to take to living room soI can play with drawing all week.

3. Purpose Review:

The first principle of ethical power is Purpose. By purpose, I don't mean your objective or intention- something toward which you are always striving. Purpose is something bigger. It is the picture you have of yourself-the kind of person you want to be or the kind of life you want to lead.” ~Stephen Covey

Integrity calls me to live a life of purpose. Every couple of months I review my Purpose Statement - does it capture the themes present in my life, and the true work I am here to do to make the world better? Is it a framework for my day-to-day priorities and choices? Is it an expression of who I am when I am reaching my full potential?

Then I choose a part of my statement to use as a mantra for the week, and challenge myself to explore some of the facets of my purpose with little explorations.

This week I will explore what it means to me to "Be a Creative force in the World - expressing myself with writing, art, and action." I'll explore that by:

1. Printing some of my writing to post - put it out into the world.
2. Painting a water motif.
3. Making new trifold for the Earthcare Action Group