February was a rough month, including a funeral and the travel that goes with that. I’ve been grappling to reestablish my routines and goals amid very strange weather that can’t decide if it’s winter or spring and the usual February slump.
Something I’m Loving
Progress! I love feeling like I’m making progress. The piano pieces I’ve been working on are actually improving. It has been very slow going and at times I have gotten way off track on my goals but I am noticing a measurable difference. The same goes for the amount of weight I’m lifting and the word count on my novel. While I may not make my self-imposed goal of finishing my first draft before the beginning of March, I’m still taking each step forward as a success, even if I’m only adding a few thousand words a week rather than per day.
I’ve found that measurable progress is important to me, even if it is slow. Because sprints are great for certain kinds of goals, but if I want to build skills and habits, slowly is the way to go. But if it’s too slow, it’s easy to lose motivation and want to give up or at least change course. Seeing progress helps me stay the course.
Something I’m Reading
I’m still on my mystery novel kick, I’m alternating three different series based on what I can get from my local library and awaiting interlibrary loans.
The Anatomist’s Wife (Lady Darby Mystery book 1) was a little darker than I usually read but I found the setting unusual and interesting. I usually read more Regency-style romance (Julie Klassen and Lawanna Blackwell are my regular favorites), but this series has me hooked. But since none of the earlier books in the series are available as part of my local library network, I’m reading other series while I wait for the next book to come in via interlibrary loan.
The Duncan Kincaid mysteries by Deborah Crombie is another series I forgot I had even researched until the first ebook suddenly became available on cloudLibrary app months after requesting it. (Full disclosure, I kind of hate this app and much prefer when our library used a program that allowed me to borrow books on my Kindle instead of only smart devices like phones or tablets. But I still use it when I can get books that way that aren’t available in physical book form, or when I want something I can read more easily on the go).
While this series can feel like just another British police procedural, I find the main character somewhat appealing so I’m going to push on, once the next book in the series has finally been tracked down by the local library where it seems to have gone missing.
In the meantime, I’m into book four of the Fergusson/Van Alstyne Mysteries, To Darkness and Death. While it is probably becoming my least favorite of the three series, it’s still worth reading to me so I’ll keep going with these, at least while I wait for the most recent Ruth Galloway book to be released.
And since all those mysteries are just a little dark and can trigger my anxiety, I just started reading Julie Klassen’s newest, Sisters of the Sea View.
I love the little allusions and homages to Austen’s works (Mr. And Mrs. Elton feel especially inspired) and the peaceful setting is also a nice break from my mystery reading.
Something I’m Learning
Waiting is the worst but also the best. I hate waiting. I just like to get things done. But I’m definitely in a long waiting period for a number of things in my life right now. The kind of waiting where there is nothing I can do to speed up the process, and worry and obsession can quickly have me spinning my wheels. In most cases, there is nothing I can do but wait.
I’m trying to become comfortable with having white space in my life and schedule as I wait to see what the next step looks like. There is a lot of prayer during this time, and some “hanging out with my emotions” as my therapist used to say. But mostly, it’s just continuing to show up every day and do the work set before me and waiting for God to direct me/us toward what we should do next.
Something I’m Eating
I just finished being part of Wendy Speake’s annual 40-day sugar fast. While things didn’t go entirely to plan, I continue to be glad that I join in most years because there is something important that happens when you voluntarily give something up that you regularly enjoy.
While I generally avoid the fast/binge cycle whenever possible, I’m not committed to sugar-free lifestyle. But I have been looking at my diet and trying to make sure I get enough protein and fiber and that I don’t fall into particularly negative habits when it comes to sugar. I’m still figuring out what that looks like in this season of my life, but I do know that I don’t NEED it as often as I think and that turning down a sugary treat is a temporary annoyance I can get past for longer-term positive benefits.
But I am eating some sugary things again and mostly I’m focusing on the context. Enjoying dessert with family or friends has a very different psychological motivation than eating in secret to cope with stress. Relishing a homemade treat made from a family recipe is not the same as digging through my pantry looking for long-forgotten cans of frosting because I just HAVE to have something.
So that’s February 2023! Not the month I expected, but not such a bad one either. Considering I usually want to quit everything in February, I’m pretty happy to be headed into March with a hopeful outlook.
I first joined Share Four Something Saturday in 2020 (what a year to join) and I appreciate Heather Gerwing for being so inviting with the community she built. I’m also grateful for Jennifer at All4boys.blogspot.com who has taken up the hosting duties for this fun monthly blog link-up.
Progress is always good, but I totally get that measurable progress is preferable! I absolutely love the Lady Darby mystery series. A little dark sometimes, but the characters are so likeable, and the character arcs over the whole series are interesting. Happy Weekend! Visiting from SFS#10
I’m trying to approach sugar the same way– avoiding it unless it’s for a family function or to enjoy with friends and family and not when I’m just craving anything at all that’s sweet just because. Yay you for making small but measurable progress in so many areas– all those baby steps do add up in the end.
Progress is a good thing! Hope you have a good weekend.
Progress is good and I am glad you are ending the note on a hopeful note. I hope March is good to all of us.
Bethany, I can definitely relate to what you wrote about waiting. Also had to smile about how you usually want to quit everything in February so you’re heading into March with a hopeful attitude. I hope it’s a good month for you!