Overwhelmed

While this post is late this week, I wanted to keep to my original intent of posting every week.  So, I decided to write about why I am so late writing this post.  It is because I was overwhelmed this weekend.  You would think that retirement would bring carefree days with little or no stress.  However, that is not always the case.  I am in the process of going through the accumulation of over 27 years in our house with a strong commitment to clear out what we really don't need.  What makes this stressful is that I have deadlines to meet.  That is also a good thing, because I can't put it off like I always have in the past.  We are clearing things out, because our son and his family will be moving in with us late in April.  They will use this time to save for a house; we are all excited about spending time together. It's just getting everything done in time that adds stress.

I'm not sure why I was feeling so overwhelmed this weekend.  I think it was a combination of several things. We have all been working at going through things in the basement and have made a lot of progress.  We now need to tackle our storage area.  I think we are tired and needed a break.  I also know that I am tired of winter!  I want tulips and daffodils.  I want to be able to go out without worrying about the ice on the walk or  in parking lots.  While my head knows that we probably only have one more month of real winter, my heart is ready for spring!

I know when I feel so overwhelmed and stressed that I need to revitalize my inner self.  As an introvert, that means that I need to be by myself and feed the inner soul-usually by reading, listening to music, or watching a movie.  Since I wasn't very good company, I chose to lose myself in reading.  I got my Keurig-brewed cup of coffee, grabbed my Kindle and sat in the sunshine spilling through my living room window to read.  I decided to re-read Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series; they always pull me into the story.  After spending some time immersed in the world of Scotland, my reading therapy did  the trick!  Now I am ready to tackle the task at hand.

All of this has made me wonder what other people do when they are feeling overwhelmed or stressed.  I know some turn to exercise or hanging out with other people.  I'd really like to hear what works for you so post a comment if you have a chance.  How do you de-stress?

I hope that you are having a wonderful week filled with love, friends, and hugs.  And as always...

Have you found your joy today?

Are Your Mondays Like a Math Problem?

 "Monday is like a math problem. Add the irritation, subtract the sleep, multiply the problems, divide the happiness."

Have you noticed that Facebook is filled with moans and groans about Mondays?  It is very rare for a Monday to pass without a reference to how difficult Mondays are.  I know that I contributed my share of comments on Facebook when I was particularly stressed about Mondays, because I used to feel the same when I was working.  I hated Mondays!  As someone whose natural body rhythm makes me LOVE late nights and HATE early morning, I always stayed up too late on Sunday nights to try to eke out every last minute of my weekend.  The result was that I was so-o-o tired on Monday mornings.  At times, I felt like I needed an IV of coffee to jump-start my day.  What made it even worse was the fact that I always had an afternoon full of meetings every single Monday.  It was torture!  I felt like I could handle the rest of the week with ease if I could Just. Get. Through. Monday.

Now that I'm retired, I have done a 180 on Mondays.  I LOVE Mondays!  There are many reasons for this change of view.

1. The most obvious is one that work-at-home moms have known for years.  Everyone goes back to work/school, and it is so quiet!  As much as I love my family, I relish the "me time" that faces me every Monday.  My time is my own on Mondays, and I've given myself permission to be lazy that day if I want.  Sometimes I need the day to recover from the hectic events of the weekend.  I read books and the newspaper, listen to my  music, catch up on TV shows that I missed, watch the birds at the feeder, drink my coffee in peace...whatever I want to do!
2. I also have a sense of optimism on Mondays!  While I have things that I need to accomplish during the week, I have four other days to get them done.  Anything I finish on Monday gives me a great sense of accomplishment because it's something I wanted to do-not something I HAD to do.  Anything I didn't get done: no problem!  I have 4 other days to get them done before the weekend is here.
3. I make a point of not setting appointments or scheduling anything on Mondays.  There is something psychologically satisfying about knowing that you don't have a schedule to follow for at least one day every week.  Doctor appointments can occur on a different day of the week.  Social engagements, such as lunches with friends which I thoroughly enjoy, can happen another day.  This is my unscheduled day to experience as it unfolds.

I know that I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to view Mondays differently now that I am retired.  It is very freeing!  I hope that you, too, can find a way to embrace your Mondays.  After all, they are just another day of the week.  You can take charge of them if you want and change their impact on your daily life.  I know, I know.  It's easy to say that; harder to do.  So, here are some ideas you may want to try to make your Mondays more enjoyable: If you have a gamer in your house, you have probably heard about the online game, StarCraft!  There is a commentator for StarCraft competitions named Day9.  Every Monday he releases "Funday Monday" for view online.  While I do not play StarCraft, I love to watch Day9.  He is so entertaining.  Just thinking about his videos brings a smile to my face. Visit Day(9)TV at http://day9.tv/ if you want to check him out.  He will make you laugh! I find that my weekend can get really busy, and I miss news about what's going on in the world.  If you are a news junkie, you may want to try http://news.yahoo.com/10-things-know-monday-104352258.html to catch up on what's happening around you.  It's a quick, fun way to get back in touch. Visit a local coffeehouse on your way to work or on your way home to treat yourself.  If you are lucky enough to live in Northfield, MN, visit the Goodbye Blue Monday Coffee House. Just STOP!  Take a moment for you.  Enjoy the world around you whether it is the sunrise on your way into work, the sun shining in your moon roof, the breeze coming in your window during your drive, the music blasting from your car, your child's smile as you come in the door, or any form of nature that you encounter during your day. These are just a few ideas for you.  You probably have many more to offer that work for you.  Feel free to share them if you'd like.  Bottom line: I hope that you can find a way to make this Monday, and all of those in your future, more palatable.  It has taken me 34 years of working to reach the point where I embrace Mondays and thoroughly enjoy them.  My hope is that you will arrive here one day, too.  In the meantime... Have you found your joy today?