10 Things That Are Saving My Life In Mid-Winter
What will we do with the long days of mid-winter?
We can let them overcome us.
Or we can look for the good & find the joy. (↞ I choose this one.)
This week, I’m joining up with Anne Bogel at Modern Mrs. Darcy to share what’s saving my life right now during these longer days of mid-winter.
In case you didn’t know, the idea behind “what’s saving my life” comes from this quote by Barbara Brown Taylor in her book, An Altar In The World (which I’m currently reading and loving):
“What is saving my life now is the conviction that there is no spiritual treasure to be found apart from the bodily experiences of human life on earth. My life depends on engaging the most ordinary physical activities with the most exquisite attention I can give them. My life depends on ignoring all touted distinctions between the secular and the sacred, the physical and the spiritual, the body and the soul. What is saving my life now is becoming more fully human, trusting that there is no way to God apart from real life in the real world.”
(I’ve shared “saving my life” lists before here, here, here, and here.)
The practice of naming and calling out the things that are life-giving is so powerful.
Here are 10 things that are saving my life this mid-winter…
1) Places that feel like home.
Last week, my alma mater, Belmont University, was there for me once again when I needed a safe and quiet place to do some book-writing (with my favorite Bongo Java coffee!) on a really hard, emotionally-taxing day. What I loved about Belmont when I first stepped foot there my senior year in high school was the community feel and how friendly the people were, and it’s the same thing I love about it now. Even though we were all masked, students went out of their way to “smize” at me while walking to class, and the alumni office showed me the places I could camp out for the day. I ended up finding a comfy chair and table in the business building, where I spent many, many hours in class listening to lectures and doing presentations. I loved being surrounded by the best college memories: impromptu guitar concerts under the gazebos on the lawn, hanging out in front of Corner Court between class (before everyone had cell phones!), walking through the rose garden on my way back to the dorm, and of course, eating copious amounts of carbohydrates in the Caf (soft-serve ice cream + cereal parfaits for dinner, anyone?).
Do you have any places like this that always feel like home to you?
Being there made me think of this quote…In all the ways my path has meandered, I’m so grateful for how Jesus has pursued me since my days here on this college campus and the days since…
“We don’t have to figure our way back to the light and easy way of Jesus, because He has already made His way back to us.”
2) Friends who have my back.
After going through some hard things in January, I can say with certainty that I choose a life with people, even if it has problems in it, vs. a smooth life with no people.
Hands-down.
I’m beyond grateful for those lifelong friends who immediately make you feel safer and more supported in the world. And I’m thankful to be able to do the same for them when the time comes.
3) Books.
Because, of course. Books are always there for me - for healthy escapes to other times and places, learning more about myself and other world views, inspiration, and comfort. I’m always reading a few books simultaneously with my current Book Club read. We just finished Teaching From Rest by Sarah Mackenzie to kick off the new year, and this month, we’re back to fiction with Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. In my spare time (a.k.a. late at night in the bathtub, or in the early morning), I’m working through An Altar In The World by Barbara Brown Taylor, Letter To A Young Farmer by Gene Logsdon, Body Love Everyday by Kelly LeVeque, and The Next Right Thing Guided Journal by Emily P. Freeman.
➾P.S. Make sure you grab your copy of my new Book Club Guide here!
4) My oils.
I honestly don’t know what I would do without my doTerra essential oils that I’ve been using for over a decade now! I use them multiple times a day for all different reasons, but lately I’ve been struggling with some anxiety here and there, and the Serenity/Balance combo has saved me. Other favorites lately are Geranium or Clary Sage (or both together) in a hot epsom salts bath, Lavender all over my chest and neck, and diffusing Peppermint, Spearmint, Wild Orange to brighten up the air in the house.
5) Bright sunshine days.
I know myself well enough now to know this: I’m almost 100% solar-powered. Sure, I love a good, cozy, overcast winter day full of books, hot drinks, soup, and movies. But what really saves my life are those bright, blue-sky days with no bugs or humidity! The other day I was able to take my little Norah to the park for a few hours so we could play and climb, and it filled my soul SO much to have that special time with her in the sunshine! My whole being was recharged like a battery.
6) Clean eating January.
…and perhaps February, too. Because I feel so good. Every year in January and August, Steven and I and some of our friends all do a health re-set. This is a time to pull back and clean up what we’re eating, focusing on whole foods and fasting from things like sugar, dairy, alcohol, and gluten for the month. I don’t think we need to avoid these things all the time, but there’s a time for fasting/going without, and there’s a time for feasting. Let’s just say there was plenty of feasting that led up to this.
I honestly have been feeling so much better this month with energy and motivation, and it’s definitely saving my life to not be dragging and feeling puffy and yuck.
Harvesting fresh kale for a nourishing smoothie with this amazing, clean collagen protein powder doesn’t hurt either! Add in pilates with The Balanced Life Sisterhood and my own kettle bell routines, and I should be all trained-up for spring planting.
7) Getting the words out.
I’m in the final stretch of finishing up my book manuscript! And honestly? I’m at the point in the process where it’s really hard work pulling it all together, but it’s also so life-giving. The emotions are all over the place - sometimes the writing moves me to tears, and sometimes I get giddy-excited. Because these words have wanted to get out for a long while, and now it’s my chance to give this gift. I write because I must!
8) The hope & planning of spring.
You know you’re a farmer when your hands are literally aching to get back into the soil again. They want to be more deeply calloused, and more covered with tomato tar. 😏
Selecting our seeds for spring in all the seed catalogs spread out on my dining room table made me absolutely giddy. This past weekend, I made a massive spreadsheet to organize/schedule dates to start seeds and plant.
Armfuls of rainbowy flowers, a new flock of chickens (and two geese!), bees, butterflies, and abundance of green growing things will be here before we know it! Cannot wait.
A fave moment from last season 🧡
9) My bedroom refuge.
Last September, I realized I was neglecting myself, and it was reflecting in the state of my bedroom. Ever since, I’ve made it a priority to make my bed and keep the room clean and decluttered. A new rug on sale from RugsUsa.com added another layer of coziness! It’s not fancy at all, and I still want to paint the walls and dresser, but my DIY Boho farmhouse dreams are slowly coming true. ☺️✨☁️ A space definitely doesn’t have to be perfect or Insta-worthy to feel like a peaceful refuge if it’s filled with things that make you happy.
10) A simple school plan.
Simplifying and changing up our school plan for 2020-2021 is totally saving my life as a homeschool mom. ➾ Here’s how things are going.
Ok, your turn ~ what’s saving your life this mid-winter season? Tell me all the things!
*All Amazon links benefit Peace Gospel International through Amazon Smile.
