The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry. Meaning, “No matter how carefully a project is planned, something may still go wrong with it. The saying is adapted from a line in ‘To a Mouse,’ by Robert Burns: ‘The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men / Gang aft a-gley'” **(www.dictionary.com)
I know it is cliche, but hey, once in awhile it works.
State of Mind
I received some news August 20th and 27th that weighed heavy on my heart, but I knew I had to put it aside for awhile. Preparations needed to be made for our upcoming vacation and dealing with that news would just have to wait. We took a wonderful planned vacation to Colorado the last week of August. The vacation was fun and eventful with beautiful weather. My husband, daughters, son-in-law, and grandson made some new Colorado memories. Nice to change up the routine and set aside real life for awhile.
Best-Laid Plans
I was geared up, eager to establish a schedule, plan out my blog posts for the month of September, and then, you know, life happens.
Since returning home from vacation, though, I have just struggled the last couple of weeks about what to share on the blog because I have been anxious about two recent events. I may share about them, but they are rather raw at the moment. I am m not to the point of putting them on the blog, so I’m holding them until I am ready.
Things are going to happen, and we just have to keep pushing, keep going, and keep writing. (I have been doing some writing – about Dad and a book I am working on about him.)
Also, since our return, my heart has been heavy, weighed down. My world has been out of kilter you might say, and I am working to get it righted. I consider myself very blessed and I live 95% of my time in a state of gratitude, but once in awhile I have to refocus and recenter. Don’t we all have to do that at times? I am writing honestly from where I am at this moment. For this post, then, I am just going to share some strategies that I use to try and recenter.
Strategies
Journaling
If you have read my other blog posts, you know that I have journaled since I was a child. Today, this week, journaling helps me get the thoughts out of my head that keep wrestling in my mind and keeping me awake at night. I can say the things I want to say to myself, to other people, to God, and be completely honest. Revealing the hurt, frustration, anger, sadness, and hoping, that by writing it down, I can let it go and trust again and, in some cases, forgive.
Exercise
I know this is pretty obvious as all the self-help annals recommend doing exercise. Finally finding my niche in Jazzercise, I know that going to class helps me tremendously. It is so different from going to the gym where I felt anonymous among thousands (well, ok, maybe not thousands, but a bunch of people). I go to the 8:30 a.m. class at least three days a week most of the time. If gone for a week because of illness or vacation, I never have the trepidation of going back, having to talk myself into it, having to bargain with myself. I just get up and go because the ladies that attend as well as the instructors are welcoming and notice when you’ve been gone. Jazzercise has been around fifty years and still going strong using today’s music as well as some oldies with aerobic activity, strength training, and stretching. You can go at your own pace, your own level, and just have fun!
Listen to Podcasts
I usually listen to ones about self-care, ones that are inspirational, ones about spirituality (not religion, spirituality), ones that inform, ones that entertain. Besides helping to keep my mind occupied, most of the ones I listen to also encourage us to be our best version of ourselves, and though I like to listen to them all the time, they have been especially helpful this last week. My short list includes:
- Keto for Women with Shawn Mynar (It’s not so much about keto diet really – she actually deals with a lot more than that – learning to listen to your body, getting your mindset clear, nutritional information, and so much more.)
- SuperSoul Conversations
- This American Life
- Beautiful Writers
Meditation/Prayer
Sometimes the busy mind just needs stillness. Consistent meditation practice I am still working on, but I can tell when I do it, my mind frees up and I am calmer. I use the app Insight Timer most of the time to help me, and other times I just sit quietly and breathe. As far as prayer, I am not religious, I am spiritual. There is a big difference. I have a hard time with “conventional, traditional religion”. So, please, don’t judge. My spiritual practice is between me and God. I pray most every day. It helps center me, gives me hope, and helps set my intentions for the day.
A Good Cry
Sometimes, I just have to cry to get it all out and then I feel better. Holding emotions at bay is not always the best thing to do. There is a catharsis, and cleansing in a sense that comes when you just let go and feel what you are feeling. No shame, no judgment, no excuses. This may not be for everyone, but I’m rather tired of trying to keep it all together so that I don’t offend anyone. Who cares? If crying is what I need, then I am going to do it! Once done, I appreciate giving myself those moments and move on.
Listen to music (especially after crying haha!)
Put on whatever you like that gets you moving or lifts your spirits. Music just makes everything better as far as I’m concerned.
New Plans
I’m still righting the ship, but I know I am almost there. While perhaps obvious strategies, I still need a reminder from time to time and, just maybe, you do, too. Part of the resolution is also to just go with the flow. So what if I didn’t succeed in my plans of a weekly blog post in September. I can always set the same goal for next month. Just writing this post has helped me refocus.
I am just sharing from my heart this week. Thanks for reading. I would like to know how do you set yourself back on course (or am I the only one who goes awry)? Be kind and compassionate toward yourself and others. Have a good week!
The best laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men
Gang aft agley,
An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain,
For promis’d joy!
**Read the Robert Burns poem, “To a Mouse”