Intentional Rhythm

o0o

For me, the next couple of weeks will be all about leaning in to working out what sort of rhythm I want for my days and weeks in the coming year.

If 2020 taught us nothing else, it sure taught us to wash our hands regularly, and that ‘plans’ are never guaranteed.

However – whilst none of us has control over what is going on in the greater world right now – we do have a major influence on how our homes not only look, but most importantly how our homes feel.

To me, a home should be a place of comfort, a safe-haven that wraps us up and makes us feel a cosy sense of peacefulness, belonging, relaxation and contentment.
A place to regroup and revitalise so you feel confident to face whatever you must, when you venture out.

Your version of venturing out might be only to the supermarket – but it could also be to a stressful workplace, or to climb a mountain in another continent – it matters not!

One thing I do feel pretty sure about though – is that I believe 2021 will be year in which important life changes will be practically inevitable for many people throughout the world.

I like my days to have certain sense of rhythm and structure to them.
It gives me a sense of comfort and accomplishment to have a cadency; a pattern to base my days and weeks around.

I especially find that it helps on those days when my mojo has disappeared to who-knows-where, and I’m finding it hard to see the joy in the every day – and my ‘enjoyable routines’ instead suddenly seem to become ‘heavy chores’.

As a keen calendar keeper and list-maker, I have two books that are in permanent residence on our table: my ring-binder diary and an A4 hard-cover notebook.
[My Love and I also have a shared digital calendar]

My ringbinder diary has all the usual birthdays, anniversaries etc, dates the animals need their regular routine treatments (eg tick + flea) and is also where I take a hard-copy note of how much rain we’ve had each day, and what we have had for our main (evening) meal each day.
Other things get added as they crop up and I can easily see the week-to-come at a glance all in one [non-digital] place.

My notebook has a couple of sections.

I used to have a special place when I was paying down my credit card debt, that I would keep track of that in, but no more credit card debt means that spot is no longer used.
I do keep it in there though.
Its a good reminder, and it also gives me a happy / proud boost when I need it!

I have a place that has a list of the major jobs I want to get completed in the next few months.
This is of course ever-evolving as some things get crossed off and more things get added.

There is a space for meal-planning which lists all the meals in our regular ‘repertoire’ as well as ones we want to add in, so that when creativity is failing during our weekly meal-planning time, we can look through the list for inspiration.

But the main part of the book – the every day part – is my (loose) routine for the day.

It contains all the small things as well as the big things – because for me, being able to cross off the small things makes me realise that I am getting through the things I had wanted to accomplish for the day, even if I don’t get the one or two big things done that I had hoped to.

So it also lists the things like:
– coffee,
– lunch,
– 20mins reading,
– dishes,
– 30mins writing,
– dishes away,
– folding etc
because at the end of the day, its mostly the little things that are what makes up the big parts of our every day…

For those chores that I don’t get done – they move to the next days list!!

I also have days when I ‘swap out’ my chores.

For example: if I had planned to do an hour of weeding in the veg garden today, and to darn some holes in things tomorrow but right now its suddenly pouring with rain; I’m going to do the inside jobs today, not the weeding!
(unless I can duck out for a bit during breaks in the rain lol)

Intentional rhythms soothe my soul.

Personally, I’ve found they definitely make for a home that brings us both joy, and that ultimately it creates a contentment within me that just can not be bought.

And that’s why I spend this special time each year – looking and planning forward.

(yes, it says ‘stuffed boobs’!  — That was an idea that was jotted down for meal-planning for the following week, as we’d had a cheese platter and there was somehow leftovers. [ikr!] The meal ended up being chicken breast stuffed with blue cheese, bacon and brie; served with vegetables. *drool*)