Monday for New Habits

Monday is my day to reset for the week and get my ducks in a row - make some plans for health and home, and how I will step up for the Natural Living Challenge.

Agenda:

1. Read "How to Keep House While Drowning"

2. Giving Each Thing a Home

3. Self-care

Monday Monday

Monday is my day to reset for the week and get my ducks in a row - make some plans for health and home, and how I will step up for the Natural Living Challenge. 

Agenda this week:

1. Read "The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning"

2. Order plans for the week

3. Self-care

Self-Caregiving Boot Camp

Self-care needs to be a discipline: It takes discipline to do the things that are good for me instead of what feels good in the moment, or just what "needs to get done". Self-care needs doing every day, every week, month in and month out - it’s taking care of myself as a daily practice, so I don't get stressed out, over-committed, over-weight, and over-tired.

Self-care requires tough-mindedness, a deep understanding of my priorities, and respect for myself and the other people in my life. It involves setting boundaries, communicating my needs, and showing up authentically. It involves doing battle with my inner demons — my traumas and addictions.

Of course, with disciplined self care I am able to be a better caregiver and activist for everyone else; I have the energy, health, and focus I need to create transformation in my world.

Tuesday is my day to look at my social and emotional self and make an effort to shift my perspectives around how I view and treat the people in my life.

Agenda:

1. Read "The Achievement Habit"

2. De-stress journal

3. Stress-tamer menu

4. Expressing Needs in the World

5. Daily Boot Camp list so far

Journal Brainstorm Week

Next week, at the new moon I will transition from one focus to another, and a whole new field of opportunity. This week I'll take time to write down my goals, dreams, and exciting ideas for the next 30-days, including at least a few crazy, improbable notions. 

-Start with a list of seasonal themes and celebrations, vacations, and other events.

-Write about my biggest priorities this month, how they might fit into my life, and how they connect to my values and principles.

-Write about possible obstacles and factors such as the weather, upcoming schedule changes, or money problems.

-Write about the parts that excite me and the parts that might be hard to find motivation for.

-This month I will also review the brainstorming I did in December, for the new year.

  

Agenda:

1. Read "The Spirited Walker"
2. Walking script

3. Self-care brainstorm
4. Sanctuary brainstorm

Self Care Reset

Monday is my day to reset for the week and get my ducks in a row - make some plans for health and home, and prepare for Grandson fun.

Agenda:
1. Read "The Sweet Spot"

2. Chair yoga challenge

3. Studio project

Family Love and Joy

During this week of Advent my theme is "family love and joy". Of course, the joy of the season is spontaneous and un-planable, but I do these three things to create the right conditions:

My children painted these plaster houses when they were young.

• Take the time to consider what my friends and family will want most this season. In other words, I become less self-focused and more generous in all ways. 
• Be respectful, flexible, patient, and kind (no matter how stressed I feel).
• Take care of myself so I can be calm and present for the spontaneous joy when it arises.

These are obviously year-round aspirations, but I need a daily reminder now, because, somehow, everything seems more important: I have expectations (both of myself and others) about how things should go, and that never works.

Agenda this week:

1. Read a novena

2. Daily love journal

3. Read "Soulful Simplicity"

4. Self-care plans

5. Check in with my family

6. Card-writing practice

Self-caring

Self-care is a boring topic. I find it easy to ignore. 

Which is why self-care needs to be a discipline: It takes discipline to do the things that are good for me instead of what feels good in the moment, or just what "needs to get done". Self-care needs doing every day, every week, month in and month out - it’s taking care of myself as a daily practice, so I don't get stressed out, over-committed, over-weight, and over-tired.

Self-care requires tough-mindedness, a deep understanding of my priorities, and respect for myself and the other people in my life. It involves setting boundaries, communicating my needs, and showing up authentically. It involves doing battle with my inner demons — my traumas and addictions.

Of course, with disciplined self care I am able to be a better caregiver and activist for everyone else; I have the energy, health, and focus I need to create transformation in my world.

Agenda:

1. Self-Care Journal

2. My renewal practices

3. Read "Anticancer Living"

4. Stress reduction practice

5. Stop blurting

The Power of Focus

Focus is my friend as I navigate this new path we are on. Focus has many benefits - it narrows my attention so I can be more effective, keeps me in the moment so I can have less anxiety, and helps me to stay positive.

Agenda:

1. Read "The Power of Less"
2. Caregiver self care
3. Simplifying

Little New Year

Kitchen God I drew a few years ago.

Today is called Little New Year - it falls one week before Chinese New Year. Little New Year is also known as the Kitchen God Festival because this is the day that the Kitchen God, Tsao-wang, and his wife, Wang Bo-jia, leave to report to heaven. A picture of these two gods, printed or drawn on rice paper, hangs in a niche just above the stove in a Chinese home. 

This holiday always falls on the waning Third Quarter moon of January or February. Today's waning third quarter moon energy is yin - quiet, internal, heart-driven, intentional Being-ness. At this phase we can ease off a bit on actively pursuing goals, slow down, go within, and attend to inner work, renewal, and self-care.

Agenda today:

1. Renewal plan
2. Evaluation House

3. Monthly journal brainstorm

4. Kitchen God Good-bye Ceremony

5. Living room blessing

Sabbath for Self Care

Today is my sabbath. It's been a few weeks since I last had an entire day that was unscheduled. In the best world, everyone would have one whole day each week to spend as we want; to stay in bed, read a good book, take a slow walk or do a crossword; one whole day to do no work, run no errands, send no emails, and clean no toilets.

I'm ready to settle into a sabbath frame of mind, and today my theme is self-care: I'm going to think about taking care of myself, and put some new practices into effect, because ... today is my birthday, and I want to indulge myself in a way that will promote health! 

Agenda today:

1. All day stillness meditation

2. Read Writing and Being

3. Journal exploration

4. Resolutions postcard for 2023

5. Self-Care ritual

6. Clean and clear the livingroom

My Year of Being Rooted

2023 is my Year of Being Rooted. But what does that mean?

Roots are our connection to the deeper places in our souls, to the past, and to the land we live on. Being rooted gives one a secure sense of who you are and where you belong; you are firmly planted, sunk in, feet on the ground and the earth is steady. 

To be rooted means I belong here: Strong and grounded in Love, Truth, and Creation, solidly living in the Now, connected to the Divine Whole, and radiant in peace, in health and resilience. It means I belong in my home, my family, and in my community, I'm integrated and whole. 

Agenda:

1. Christmas retreat

2. Root reading

3. Root practice ideas for January

4. Root walk 

First Day of Christmas

 

Today is Christmas, but only the first day of Christmas (what Norwegians call 1. juledag). This is the start of the twelve-day festal tide adopted by the Christian Church: In 567 C.E. church leaders proclaimed the days from December 25 to Epiphany as a sacred, festive season.

Now my preparations are finished, and I can relax with my family, do a puzzle, eat, drink, and generally wallow in joyful abandon.

In some old traditions, this whole season is seen as a sort of Sabbath: Prepare ahead of time and then spend the Twelve Days doing as little work as possible. It's a good time to rest, reflect, and find peace within.

Agenda:
1. Christmas retreat

2. Plan physical nurturance habits

3. Candle Prayer ceremony

4. Put Baby Jesus in the manger

5. Open Gifts

Advent Equanimity

Right about now, as the holiday energy builds, I need to review practices that help me to maintain an even-temper, patience, and grounded-ness. I need to work at equanimity.

Equanimity is an expression of love: It’s the serenity we exhibit when we have to wait, and also the kindness we show to those “difficult people” who don’t listen to reason, who interrupt, who are overly sensitive, or who are so annoying. Equanimity allows us to let go of frustration and irritation, and treat those people with skill and gentleness. It allows us to counter disrespect and contempt with compassion, and to remember that human needs are not always logical, but are always more important than our schedule.

Equanimity is a habit that requires love and self-control; it requires that you cut people slack and allow them to be imperfect; that you relax and let go of time anxiety; and that you acknowledge your impatience and irritation but don't act on them. It's powerful; it opens hearts. People feel liberated when you let them know that you are unruffled and in no hurry. Your patience is a gift to them, and will allow them to heal and grow.

And it's not only useful with in-the-moment situations, but also for grounded-ness in the face of world upheaval and fears about the future. Life is a rainbow of chaos, and equanimity is a super-power that will get you through.

Agenda:

1. Daily equanimity practice

2. Daily love journal

3. Take care of myself

July Sabbath for Care

The month of July is a golden time of passion and activity. Nature celebrates the peak of its power, the sun reaches her highest point, and I do the same; every day I get to share my light with the world. I put my best and brightest energy into my projects, my garden, and my art. I seek out chances to be courageous, and extend myself beyond what’s comfortable.

The question for July is How do I shine through the clouds?

“Hold the sadness and pain of samsara in your heart and at the same time the power and vision of the Great Eastern Sun. Then the warrior can make a proper cup of tea.”

~ Chogyam Trungpa

Agenda:

1. Keeping the Sabbath

2. Care practice

3. How to finish things I start

4. Read "Repacking Your Bags"

Little New Year and Third Quarter Moon

Kitchen God I drew a few years ago.

Today is called Little New Year - it falls on the day of the waning half moon in late January or early February - one week before Chinese New Year, on February 1st this year. I enjoy having this second opportunity to celebrate a new year, and think of this one as the "Happy and Lucky" celebration.

Little New Year is also known as the Kitchen God Festival because this is the day that the Kitchen God, Tsao-wang, and his wife, Wang Bo-jia, leave to report to heaven. In a Chinese home, a picture of these two gods, printed or drawn on rice paper, hangs in a niche just above the stove.

Today's waning moon energy is yin - quiet, internal, heart-driven, intentional Being-ness. At this phase we can ease off a bit on actively pursuing goals, slow down, go within, and attend to inner work and self-care.

 

Agenda today:
1. Renewal plan and self-care plan
2. Housework

3. Nian-hua and good-luck calligraphy

4. Forced Blossoms
5. Make Jiao-zi dumplings 

6. Kitchen God Good-bye Ceremony

Third Quarter Moon of October

Today's waning third quarter moon energy is yin - quiet, internal, heart-driven, intentional Being-ness. The focus for the next few days is on renewal, cleansing, and self-care.

Agenda:

1. Renewal plan

2. Self-care routine

3. Cleansing

4. Prepare for Halloween

Third Quarter Moon

Today's waning third quarter moon energy is yin - quiet, internal, heart-driven, intentional Being-ness. The focus for the next few days is on renewal, cleansing, and self-care.

Agenda:

1. Renewal plan

2. Self-care routine

3. Cleansing

4. Fall cleaning