I am back to my morning routine, and it’s amazing how much better I feel. First, coffee and reading, then exercise and a podcast. This is followed by some journal writing (usually throw it away after I’ve finished.) Then a healthy breakfast and I’m ready to start the day.

I wonder why it has taken me so long to get back to the routine. But a friend shared this today, and it makes sense:

“Life is a series of seasons, and what works in one season may not work in the next.
What season are you in right now? What habits does that season require?”
– James Clear

My winter/spring seasons require my morning routine.

Other tidbits I’ve been reading/thinking about:

• A quote from Jocelyn’s newsletter:

I’ve mentioned before in this newsletter how, at the end of my morning meditation, I often ask my angels/teachers/guides/ancestors, What would you have me know today?
Jocelyn K. Glei

• How do you tell your own story?

• 9,500+ book recommendations from the most successful and interesting people in the world.

• And, finally, the concept of “after.” When I was a runner, I didn’t enjoy running. I loved the half-marathons when I did well, when I could measure my time against myself and others, and I loved when I finished. So I began to say the word “after” whenever I wanted to quit, sometimes even in the middle of a practice run. These days, I often have to say the word to myself when I am facing a busy weekend (after the weekend, I will have my alone time), or when it’s too cold to walk the dog but I need to go out (after the walk, I’ll be glad I did it). Somehow, just saying the word helps me remember that hard things end, eventually. And often I am glad I did them.

Later, friends….

Today is Thanksgiving, and we are spending it alone. That’s not to say we are lonely! We’ve had family visiting since last Friday. I love spreading out the visits. It makes for a long week, but I get to concentrate on whoever is here. We are having a quiet morning and will walk to Brock’s around 2pm for dinner. I am also making soup and getting ingredients organized for lunch and supper on Saturday with the last group of family.

~I had an episode of seborrheic dermatitis this week- and the cream the doctor recommended made my eyes and face puffy, dry, and itchy. The allergic reaction was worse than the little spot I’d pointed out! So I am also on the hunt for some new clean moisturizers. It’s always something as I age, but I am trying to remind myself “it could be worse.”

~As I think about writing again, this caught my eye. 5 things and this: Common literary essay forms that you might have heard about include the “braided essay” or the “lyric essay,” but there is not a strong consensus on what precisely these two terms mean. There is also the “fragmented essay,” the “mimetic essay” or “hermit crab essay,” and the “vignette essay.”

~I bought a duvet from Quince so I can wash it often. The cat seems to want to spend more and more time on the bed. At 18, he is cranky and sweet, often at the same time. I’d rather clean the duvet often than kick him off.

~ Finally, as I work through my skin’s issues, I am reminding myself how much my brain influences physical pain.

Keep your heart open, friends. The sun is out in Virginia, and it’s beautiful. Enjoy today in whatever way feels good to you.

“Perhaps / The truth depends on a walk around a lake” Wallace Stevens. And for me, it’s more likely a walk on the beach.

• On a whim, I subscribed to Kelsey Ervick’s The Habit of Art. Love it. This one was particularly helpful if you are looking for a system.

• Do I need one of these? I saw this “ice cream” maker on Carleigh Bodrug’s newsletter, and I’m tempted. Pretty expensive though.

• I’ve enjoyed listening to Susan David’s podcasts and getting her newsletters- She wrote about James Pennebaker’s journaling to heal.

• Buckwheat pancakes: saving the recipe right here

• Our new house is feeling a little more like home. As I get settled, I’ve also renewed my morning routine- AND, I’ve added a new yoga class on Sunday mornings. Perfect. I had a conversation with the studio owner, and I may have come up with a plan. More later!

Be well, friends.

* Sunday morning is a big day in my inbox. I love reading Recomendo, Brain Food, and the Isolation Journals among others.

• Today I learned about The Feynman Technique, which is essentially trying to teach the concept you are trying to learn. I used to apply this when I taught middle school, but I could certainly teach David a thing or two :)

• Suleika Jaouad shared this about memory– something I think about often.

I’m fascinated by what the mind protects us from, what it holds onto, and what it lets go. By how our memories morph in our retelling of them, by how they can calcify. Though we know memory is fallible, we give so much credence to it, as if remembering a moment, a person, or a place is what makes it “real.” But we aren’t living our lives as reporters, with a tape recorder and a fact checker. So rather than only focusing on if our memory matches up with someone else’s or whether it’s objectively true, I find it interesting to interrogate why we remember what we remember—and what that can reveal.

• I love this simple idea about change from Kyle Kowalski on Sloww Sunday.

Pain > Positives = Change.

• Finally, this article about wellness hits too close to home…

A reflection of the Chatham Train Bridge, probably one of the most photographed scenes in Fredericksburg. What am I reflecting on today?

My most productive time is from 6am until 8am. That’s right. I wake up, pour my coffee, and read before I exercise, before I eat breakfast, and before I head out for the day. What I struggle with is keeping track of all that I am learning–

I’ve been following note-taking blogs and checking out apps (Notion, One Note, Evernote, etc) to see if something might help. But I tend to fall back into my old habits of reading and then forgetting most of it (or at least forgetting where to locate it). I know I must have some form of ADHD.

This seems like a good place for me to try to catalog my learning. This is not a community, it’s my blog. Whether it’s a photo I’ve taken, an article I’ve read, or a podcast I’ve listened to, this can be an organizing tool for me. I know my tendency will be to start this but not continue. So let’s see if I can keep up with this for two months!

Today’s links:

• Getting back into yoga. I’ve been doing pilates at home, but I don’t push myself enough when I work out alone. As I age, I find my joints stiffen pretty quickly. Yesterday, I took a private lesson from Lynn McFadden and fell in love with her and her technique. I’m going to try one of her classes and see if I can stick with it.

• Thinking about watching this movie about death, (but I haven’t decided if this is stress-inducing, a scam, or calming!)

• Maybe signing up for this cooking class, especially since I can watch it later if something else comes up.

• I might get “dinged” for posting someone else’s art, but I will give the attribution.

Until next time….