Live with intention. Walk to the edge. Listen Hard. Practice wellness. Play with abandon. Laugh. Choose with no regret. Appreciate your friends. Continue to learn. Do what you love. Live as if this is all there is. — Mary Anne Radmacher
When I started this journey to be more intentional, I had no idea that Mary Anne Radmacher’s quote would stay with me in my journey. Yet, it is – and this month I found her words to Practice wellness and Appreciate your friends were just what I needed in Stay at Home Life.
And so, I have spent the month practicing wellness by staying home.
April 7, I began stitching my 100 Day Project. I had spent much of January and February plotting and planning out what I wanted this project to be. I started off eagerly; excited each day to sit with my stitching. One edge was completed, and some niggling worries began to creep in. What if it doesn’t work out like I planned? A couple of days the uneasiness – the uncertainty – kept me from stitching. I spent some time with that uncertainty and discovered that it was not the stitching, but my inner nay-saying voice creeping in. The answer for me was not to argue with that voice, but to tell myself that even if it does not “turn out” it will be okay…and believe it, and intentionally ignore that nay-saying voice.
About mid-month I noticed some significant changes in my life.
My meditation time became easier. I found I did not need to set a time to “stay” meditating. Rather, I welcomed the silence, the breathing, and especially the listening! Being comfortable with the stillness and just listening has been so helpful in these stressful days.
I joined Katie in her Reading Through the Gospels Lenten Journey and at the end of Lent, I just kept going. Kym sent me a wonderful little Intention Journal and I am filling it with notes as I read.
And that brings me to my next focus of the month… my friends. That number includes all of you, Gentle Readers! From your comments, your suggestions, your kindnesses – You make my days better and my life is so much richer because of you! Thank you!
My local Knit Group’s weekly Zoom Meetings have become a thing that I anticipate with great joy. We laugh, we bitch, we share. I did not imagine these women would become such a vital part of my week… but they have, and I am better because of them!
I guess all this means that I have somehow found the path again, and I am profoundly grateful that I have!
I am very happy that Honoré hosts us each month! Please, head over here to see a round up of word updates!
You can see my Intentional Journey here.
It seems that so many of us have gotten over the initial panic and confusion of staying at home and have moved on to a place of acceptance (not dissimilar, I suppose, from the stages of grief). I am glad to hear that you’ve found ways to adjust and that you are finding some peace and joy.
Nice post Kat. I can see/hear/read such a change in you from the beginning of pandemic days. You have grown in such a positive way!
It sounds like you have made some good strides toward acceptance and adjustment. Thanks for setting a good example for me (I think I still have a ways to go)!
I’m glad that you’re working through this in such a thoughtful and personally gratifying way. Patience and intention…pretty good stuff! And that stitching project is going to be amazing.
It sounds like you’ve definitely got your OLW mojo going on. It never fails to impress me how our word choices teach us so much…especially when they feel the most challenging. Almost like the work chose us, in a way. Like there was a little bit of divine intervention there all along…
And I’m laughing at myself–still. Because THE FIRST TWO TIMES I read the title of your post, I read ‘Intentional Living in the Age of Social DISTRACTION’!!!
Hm…maybe my OLW next year should be FOCUS?!
Wow – things are falling into place! This was a beautiful post.
I love how you didn’t fight your nay-saying voice, but kept moving. I’m impressed that you continued your Lenten journey. I stopped mid-March when I got super sick and haven’t found the gumption to return. Religion is so hard for me, it’s hard to explain. I’m glad you’ve found meaning in it!
Good for you for telling that inner voice to hush and sticking to your plan for your stitching. I’m glad your word is helping you to cope during these days of uncertainty.
Excellent. Excellent. Excellent.
(We are amazingly resilient, aren’t we?)
XO
I am so happy we are friends and found each other through blog land. I love when one of us is down someone somewhere has a kind word to lift us up. This shut down has been long, I’m ready to be sprung!
So important to find good ways to cope/make it through a struggle when you just want to throw something.
What a lovely post – I am glad you have found your path. I have also been trying to stay with uncomfortable feelings and think about what they mean instead of constantly trying to push them away or feeling guilty about them. Your intentional living sounds very rich indeed.
oh YAY – I love this Kat! Clearly that word found you at just the right time … funny how well that worked this year, huh? I found my way back to Centering Prayer last week and it is making a huge difference.