There are some days when I have so much to say it is literally hard to get up and physically walk away from the keyboard. I look forward to those times when my creative writing juices start flowing and I can’t wait to have a quiet moment in the evening to see all my thoughts come into fruition in a way of words.
Then, there are those other days at the end of a long work week when my brain is exhausted and lacking that creative ‘spark’ I need to write.
It has been a crazy, busy week at work and I am ready for a fun weekend ahead with family and friends. Unlike my weekend plans that always seem to vary, a typical Monday – Friday in my life looks like this:
- Wake up, Shower, Get Ready for Work
- Make Breakfast, Read Devotionals, Blog, Watch the News
- Leave for Work
- Leave from Work
- Get Home, Take Tebow on a Walk or Work Out
- Make Dinner
- Eat Dinner with Tim
- Clean the Kitchen and Wash the Dishes
- Pick Up Around the House, Catch Up on Celebrity Gossip on E! News while Cleaning, Laundry, etc.
- Watch Television with my Two Favorite Men while Blogging
- Bed Time ( I shoot for 10 at the latest)
As you can see, on paper I have quite the routine going. Even though I find comfort in knowing what’s to come each day, it can also be tiring and monotonous sometimes. However, if I look at my daily activities as blessings rather than a list of chores and obligations, I can be reminded in less than one second how lucky I actually am. Although I may be tired and ready for some fun, all it takes is opening my eyes and looking at the same life differently to change the whole view point.
- Wake up (Thank God I’ve been given another day to live) , Shower (So happy I have hot water) , Get Ready for Work (Thank goodness I have a job, what a blessing)
- Make Breakfast (I’m thankful I have food to eat) , Read Devotionals (I love this time I can spend with God in prayer) , Blog (I love my blog and I appreciate the opportunity to share my writing), Watch the News (Be thankful for the good in the world, pray for the bad, and be thankful for my own life)
- Leave for Work (Again, yay for a job!)
- Leave from Work (Happy I am finished for the day!)
- Get Home (So thankful to have a home) , Take Tebow on a Walk or Work Out (I love my puppy and I am so blessed to have a body that can move)
- Make Dinner (So thankful for the food and for my love of cooking)
- Eat Dinner with Tim (I love my husband and our time together)
- Clean the Kitchen and Wash the Dishes (I am so happy I have a kitchen to clean and dishes to wash!)
- Pick Up Around the House (Love my house) , Catch Up on Celebrity Gossip on E! News while Cleaning (I am happy to have entertainment) , Laundry (Thankful for the clothes I have) , etc.
- Watch Television (Thankful for rest) with my Two Favorite Men (I love my boys) while Blogging (I love to blog!)
- Bed Time! ( So happy I have a warm and cozy bed to sleep in and feel blessed I was given another day to live)
After looking at my routine for a second time with the inclusion of my blessings, I suddenly don’t feel so worn out, but actually energized.
When I see all I have to look forward to each day, it helps the difficult moments to not feel so hard. Life may be filled with tough times, but it only makes the good ones that much sweeter.
Sometimes I just need a little reminder!
Questions:
- What does your schedule look like each day? Similar to mine, or totally different?
- How do you get through a tough week?
- Does writing down your thoughts help you to get through hard times?
- What are the blessings in your life?
- Any fun plans this weekend?
What I great way to “count your blessings”!!!
I love that! Sometimes my routine makes me take things for granted, but this is a great way to be aware of it!
Thank you! I definitely think it is easy to take life and our blessings for granted, especially when we are so busy with everyday tasks! That’s why it is important for me to sit and write down my life in a positive way as a reminder
Great idea to count your blessings! We have a very “boring” schedule as well during the week. Just found your blog and love it!
Thank you so much for reading, and for your comment! I am glad you like the little blog Lauren..
I like your way of looking at the day!
Thanks Emily!
I’m a pretty routined girl myself. However, it does depend which day it is… M/W/Th are spent in my office at church as Children’s Director and Tues/Fri are usually substituting and/or cleaning and catching up around the house. My morning and evening routines are pretty set in stone though. You’re right, even though a routine can be comforting at times, it can get kind of monotonous and boring too. I love your positive thinking!
Thanks Ashley! I agree with you, a routine can be both comforting and boring sometimes, but it definitely helps to look at schedules as a blessing!
What a refreshing way to look at a routine schedule!
I definitely have my own routine going and it usually consists of a half day of work (mostly in the mornings), lunch, home, Will time, and sleep. Granted, my schedule is a lot more flexible at the moment than many other people’s are, and I should be so thankful for that! Instead, I often find myself looking at tiny parts of my day that might be better if they were the slightest bit different, but just like you said– sometimes we just need a little reminder
I remember feeling like that in college sometimes. I had so much free time, it could be boring sometimes and I would look for ways to fill the time. However, now looking back, I wish I would have enjoyed my free time a little more and hadn’t wished it away!
I love your approach to your daily routine! My day is pretty similar to yours, except that with teaching and grad school, there’s usually quite a bit of work that carries over into my evening. By Friday, I’m completely exhausted, but you’re right — even though some parts of my routine can seem so daunting, I’m lucky to have everything in my life!
I have thought about going back to school, but right now at least I am not ready to give up what free time I have. You are such a role model for how to balance life/work/school, etc. Definitely be proud of yourself for your accomplishments!
Great perspective, girl. We have so much to be thankful for. As stressful as my job can be, I am so abundantly thankful to have a job!!
Thanks girl! Yes me too, so thankful for my job! Sometimes I just need that reminder!
Excellent way to look at each day. Counting your blessings reminds us of being thankful for everything we have. The blessings give us hope and appreciation for the rewards in life as well as the ability to manage the disappointments.
I definitely agree with you! It is always important to remind each other about our blessings as well, helps to keep us positive through life’s struggles!
Wow! I love this post. My life is very routine as well. I needed to read this, because I find myself just getting through my day instead of being thankful!
Thanks Brittany! I was hoping it would provide my readers with some encouragement, just like it gave me while writing the post!