Day 341/366 days Towards Self-Mastery.
My heart goes out to the mothers of young children as we reach into December and the to-do list builds.
There was once a time when I cared for about 100 children after school while their parents finished worked for the Festive season. You know excitement when you have 100 children to attend. Of course I never took them home. For me it was the pleasure of one.
A mother's role in making Christmas happen slides right on in there with all her other responsibilities that don't let up just because it's the Christmas season. So with work commitments, regular meetings and dare I say, planning sessions, end of year school functions, office Christmas functions, relatives to think about, gifts to buy, wrapping and labelling and sticking and posting, it's little wonder that women are overcooked at Christmas.
Keep it simple sister, is the best I've got for you. If that was my problem, and I am forever grateful that it is not, I'd slash that to-do list in half, at least. Mark off on it all the things you most enjoy, and do those things. Forget about the others!
Your time, your grace, your joy, your company, your humour are more valuable than all the other stuff that you think adds atmosphere and God knows what else to the Christmas celebrations. And here's my simple rule. Anyone who asks, gets the job.
And of course, if you follow a Christian tradition you'll want to ensure you are able to attend worship and bring the Christian light and meaning into the festivities. Don't compromise on what's important to you.
Let this be the Christmas that you too, enjoy.
There's little to say of my experience than that I learned a while ago that my enjoyment was important to me, so I do what brings me joy, period.
Merry Christmas, and remember, KEEP IT SIMPLE SISTER!
366 days Towards Self-Mastery
When I considered my New Year's intentions for 2020 I had just one: To allow my heart to love what it loved...and let it lead me. (If not now, then when?)
I've spent months working on integrating my life. To live life more fully with my home life, my interests, my work, my responsibilities, all coming together, all connected. I want to give each the attention that they desire and need, and still have time and energy for the others. That means living and working from the heart.
As I was clearing out my bookshelf over the Christmas break I discovered Simple Abundance. I set it aside to explore it on New Year's Day as I lazed through another delicious day of nothingness. Sarah, the author, says this book is about living in grace. Living in grace I realised, is about Self-Mastery.
My thirst for understanding the human condition has driven me all my life, and hand-in-hand with self-mastery it has been a life-long goal. And seeing as I love to write, that living in grace is about self-mastery, and I love a bit of a challenge, then if I am truly going to let my heart lead, I really don't have any other choice. So scary as it feels, I'm starting out on a daily mission of leaning into the suggestions of this daybook and making a daily post to keep me accountable. If not now, then when?
I'm Josie. You can find out a little more about me here.
Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy: by Sarah Ban Breathnach.
This book is written for the Australian and NZ market because it refers to seasonal changes. It's available on Amazon here if you'd like to follow along.