How do you "get it together?" | November 30, 2023

Last Sunday, after a long and lovely holiday weekend, I was feeling very much like I should "get it together" in preparation for the return to reality aka work and school. In this case, it meant I should stop eating my weight in pumpkin pie for breakfast. I also should not pour Irish cream in my coffee, although I did think about it. One last holiday treat, I thought, but ultimately did not indulge. Instead, I boiled some eggs and toasted a piece of ciabatta for Duke and me, feeling very proud of my restraint indeed. 

Isn't it funny how good it feels to restructure and get back to a routine after a nice long break? One is only good because of the other. 

How do you regroup and get it together? 

For me, the best interim day between vacation and work is 50/50 productivity and relaxing. I cannot feel as if I lazily wasted my last day, but I also don't want to fall into bed, exhausted. My best plan of action is to write a list that includes things like run a load of laundry and empty the dishwasher, along with read a chapter and start a puzzle. And I check those babies off, one by one. 

***

A couple days ago, I was standing in my bedroom feeling bad for myself because last year's jeans don't fit. I'm embarrassed to admit this on the internet, but frankly feeling like I don't recognize myself in this body has been a tribulation throughout the year and as I struggled to zip up, my thought was "I literally have not made any progress this year." Naturally, this triggered thoughts of my new years resolutions, made in such earnest 11 months ago. 

I expected to drizzle myself into more self pity, but instead, as I mentally ticked off the four goals I made on my fingers, expecting to quietly admonish myself for missing them all,  I realized that in fact, I have achieved two of my goals, and I'm creeping towards a third. 

I'm not here to brag. 50% is frankly a failing grade in any academic system, but it turned my thoughts around. What if December is the Sunday of the year, and this is my day to get it together? Time to break out the to-do list, baby. We're gettin' it together!

Reinvigorated, I am treating the entire month as a Sunday that I cannot lazily waste. My to-do list is packed now with the chores to complete those last two resolutions, but also things like going for a Christmas light drive, and watching the tree lighting in Frankfort, etc. 

I ask again, how do you get it together?