I'm writing this for the link-up over at Chatting at the Sky, which you might want to go check out. I'm intrigued by this idea of a monthly post that reflects back over lessons learned during the previous month - so let's give this a whirl!
1. Change is really hard for me. I'm a creature of habit and routines, as much as I also have to be adaptable and flexible in my schedule, and big lifestyle changes can just put me into a tailspin. This isn't really a new learning, but rather a lesson that keeps coming back to slap me in the face all over again.
2. I Love my job. Being away from it for an extended period of time doesn't actually feel restful - it feels stressful! I filled February with a week of angsty self-pity, a week of crazy de-cluttering and cleaning my house, and then by the last week of the month, and the 3rd for me on sabbatical, I sort of hit a stride of just living in a more relaxed way. It's still a work in progress, though.
3. The vagaries of February weather can either drive you crazy or you can find a way to go with the flow. Really, it's remarkable how much the weather affects our lives, and must be constantly taken into account. I'm also keeping an eye on the temperature and trying to guess the last frost date, because I have a rose to prune and seeds to plant.
4. My relationship with my husband needs to be a higher priority for me, and for him. I need to have more time with him, as adults, no kids, and it needs to be more fun than just the weekly business meeting of "what's on the calendar, who's going to do what, what issues have come up that need a decision". It makes me super cranky when he spends all his recreational time off without me, but I am going to have to be very proactive and clear about that if I'm going to get couple time anywhere on our calendar.
5. I learned how to take a screen shot of something I was working on, to be able to post it as a jpeg to a blog post. It's not rocket science, but I'd never done it before.
6. My children seem to need more sleep than they used to, and to have more trouble falling asleep at night. I see a shift toward needing to sleep later in the morning, unless I want cranky bears. Everything I read about youth sleep patterns tells me this is normal, however, so I just feel blessed that we have the kind of flexible life that lets me let them sleep.
7. I found the right way for me to read poetry and integrated that into my morning routine this month.
8. I learned some distressing things about Amazon's employment practices, and decided to try and wean myself off of purchasing everything through them.
9. A friend pointed out to me that as a homeschooler I could get an institutional library card, letting me have 50 more books out at a time - and that has been a lifesaver! I also realized that I need to always take a book cart on wheels with me, as a couple weeks I had so many books I hurt myself carrying them all. The library is my favorite resource and we are reading up a storm around here!
10. Reading Hands Free Mama, I discovered the inspiring and practical idea of a life list, and have been working on crafting my own life list. I hope that having a sense of clear purpose will help me decide what is important and what can be a lower priority in my life.
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