I know December isn't over just yet, but I'm shutting it down around these parts! I'm taking the next week off and will be back in the new year with fresh posts for you. So, today, from Indiana, a December recap!
In a nutshell, December was a month of boundaries. At the start of November, I realized things had come a little unhinged around here. My work space was the same space in which we were eating dinner. The clothes I was working in were the same ones I was lounging in at night. The hours of work and play were running together and I had begun to feel like nothing was reserved for just tasking or just relaxing.
I am someone that needs firm boundaries. I need to feel like I can turn off work. Without boundaries, I was feeling overwhelmed by the constant presence of things to be done. And so! December became a month of some serious boundary setting. Most literally? I started reading the book Boundaries :) I will share a review when I finish it.
I also set boundaries with exercise. I took a week off from the gym and went to yoga instead, knowing my body was yearning for deep stretching and slowing down. I cut back on my coffee intake and slept like a babe.
We made room in our budget for me to work at coffee shops a few times this month, so I didn't go stir crazy working entirely from home. I frequented Press & Grind (VaHi), Octane Grant Park and Dancing Goats at Ponce City Market.
(Posted up at Press & Grind! Aka in my happy place)
We took an entire Sunday to sabbath and were reminded how amazing rest + connection are.
I set boundaries by creating a more refined schedule for The Letter Project. I had gotten to the point where I'd jump every time a new request came in, feeling rushed to respond as quickly as possible. By creating a false sense of urgency, I was stifling my own creativity, which made it super hard to write or blog. Now, I have set times to read letters and specific windows blocked to bundle and send them.
Of course, it was not just a month of firm boundary setting :) We also played. We made gingerbread houses with my brother & his girlfriend. Well, they made a house. We made a tiny, sad looking village.
We went to a friend's tacky sweater party with Melly + her boyfriend, Andrew.
Chris was the best man in a wedding of great friends, which was an awesome way to spend the weekend before Christmas.
We also celebrated Christmas with his family, who is wonderful and allowed him spend our first married Christmas with me in Indiana. I'm so excited to have him home for the holidays!
While I'm here, I'll be seeing my pal (&fellow Hoosier!) Robyn, my dear friends from high school and college aaaand spending insane quantities of time in the home hole with my family. It's going to be awesome :)
But! Before I do, I'm checking in on my December goals.
1. Send 500 Letter Project letters this month alone // Not going to get this one. Partly because I decided to take a break from 12/21 to 12/31 to let our writers rest. Partly because we just didn't have 500 requests. It was a good check for me to remember not to get caught up in numbers and to appreciate the natural growth of the project. I will not be a slave to numbers! Everything is progressing exactly as it should.
2. Start the process for establishing The Letter Project as a 501c3 // YES! Working on this and so excited! An awesome law firm agreed to help out pro bono, which was a huge win.
3. Finish Carry On, Warrior // Done! This book was interesting because there were definitely things I didn't agree with, as well as chapters that made me squirm a little bit. But, I still liked it because it's honest and kind. And, there were a lot of chapters that made me want to scream yes, yes, yes, this is it! Her metaphors are incredible, too. I'm going to read Love Warrior next and have been told it's a very different read.
4. Stretch twice a week // Mission accomplished! I am always resistant to stretching because it feels like a waste of time (it's not). It felt so good to force myself to do it this month. I also got a massage at Jiao because my sweet friend, Katie, sent me a gift card. Oh boy! It was a dream. I'm not typically a massage person and was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.
5. Try a Sabbath Sunday // Did it! Loved it! Highly recommend it.
And now, for January goals!
1. Obtain 501c3 status for The Letter Project
2. Make a plan for the first six months of the year, which will include goals for The Letter Project, writing, blogging and coaching. Update my website to align with the new goals.
3. Finish one of the books I'm reading. I'm bouncing between Love Warrior, Boundaries and The Art of Memoir. After these, I'm binging on fiction for a little bit.
4. Plan a trip with Chris for February.
5. Do a lot of yoga. Chris' mom got me a package to Core Power and I want to make time to slow down this month and really enjoy it.
And that's all, friends! Have a restful, joyful and Merry Christmas!