Life Lately

What a week. Potty training combined with every member of the family getting sick one after the other = resuscitation required.

I have been putting off potty training because from what I have learned from other people, you basically can’t leave the house for several days so that your toddler has a chance to understand the concept. As someone who gets cabin fever quite easily, this idea felt like voluntarily signing up for solitary confinement in a high-security prison.

It was rough. The potty training itself is mildly stressful, but honestly, for me it was the marathon at home plus dealing with sickness that got to me.

In better news, this coming week is Stephen’s last week of work in the Navy. While he doesn’t have a job yet and that is certainly weighing on us, I’m excited to have him home more for a little while and begin this next chapter of life.

Life Lessons: When you hit a wall

This week I hit a wall. I’m not talking about a questionably built D.R. Horton wall made up of a few 2x4s and sheet rock. I’m talking about a Great Wall of China wall: big, solid stone, not sledgehammerable.

Some factors were simply logistical—like potty training a sick toddler and being confined to the same 1200 square feet for a week. Some of the factors were external like what you read in the news, and some were internal like profound discouragement that comes around every now and again.

I think we all hit a wall from time to time, whether it’s at work, in a relationship, in a goal we’re after, or just life in general. How to proceed: my current course of action is to take a break.

I think it’s easy to take for granted how overwhelmed/stressed out we are on a day-to-day basis. A million little things start to take up space in our minds and hearts so all it takes is one relatively ‘major’ thing to send us reeling. I think when we hit the wall we need to give ourselves time to gather the courage we need before attempting to scale it.

By taking a break I don’t necessarily mean lying in bed eating donuts for a few days (although maybe that will help??). I think what is more helpful is to switch gears. Work on a different goal. Focus on a different relationship that is currently strong. Play a strength you already know you have. Then go back to the wall and consider your options.

It’s easy to get hyperfocused on what’s going wrong and to allow that to seep into every pore of our body. We are biologically strung to pay attention to what is potentially hurtful/dangerous to us. But I think when we decide to pay attention to what is going well, or at least going better, we find what is not going well much easier to bear (and typically not that big of a deal).

Info & Inspo

If you want inspiration about goal achievement + getting things done in motherhood, I recommend following Brooke Raybould. She sets a great example of how to balance motherhood responsibilities with your own aspirations.

If you’re looking for a delicious, nutritious, easy recipe to switch up your dinners this one is a winner. I typically stick to the same rotations of meals but every now and then I have to switch it up! Tried this one last week and am totally make it again on Monday.

I hope everyone has a peaceful holy week.

In camaraderie,

Miranda Kate