Weekly Reflection 2021 – 37

  • The Best Part of this Week: The best part of this week was celebrating my birthday with a lovely day in the city.
  • I am grateful for:  Nathaniel’s negative covid test.
  • This week, I exercised: I’ve still been exercising less lately but i am trying to give myself grace about it.
  • This week, I said yes to:  taking Monday off.
  • I said no to: pushing working through the weekend.
  • I honored my values (love, learn, peace, service, gratitude): I am definitely on a downswing but working on it.
  • Top Goals Review:
    • Work:  totally done with my perf, moved slightly forward on September deliverables, did not think of more conversations, tried remember what matters most.
    • Personal:  celebrated birthday, did more journaling and art, did not find another class, exercised.
    • Family: climbed with J, did david to do ACT but not class, did not find something for N, helped the kids with school and J with work
  • This week, I want to remember: that we are all safe and i am grateful
  • My mood this week was: good but also low.
  • I am proud of: helping my kids.
  • I release: the frustration around having so much to do and not enough time to do it all.
  • Here’s what I learned this week: i still have a ways to go on learning to release what i need to.

Review: Matrix

Matrix
Matrix by Lauren Groff
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Fantastically well-written and researched story of a woman who is forced to become the prioress of an impoverished abbey. This fierce woman and the way she turns that abbey around is a force to reckon with. Well done.

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Review: Beautiful World, Where Are You

Beautiful World, Where Are You
Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I had so many conflicting feelings about this book. It took me a long time to get into it and to warm up to the characters. I loved that they were all flawed and real but that also meant that they got on my nerves and I can’t say that I ended up liking them even by the end of the book. But they grew on me. And they were real so I found myself invested in their story.

I also usually hate books where the characters have intellectual conversations where it’s clear that the author is using them as a ploy to lecture the reader. It drives me mad and there was much of it in this book. So much of it.

In the end though, when I finished it, it felt like a good meal and I appreciated that I read it. And I did think about it long after.

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Review: Dark Roads

Dark Roads
Dark Roads by Chevy Stevens
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was really looking forward to reading this and it did not disappoint. I much prefer slow-burn and character-driven mystery novels and this was exactly that. there are still some surprises around corners but nothing that would be impossible to guess. i loved the characters and setting and really found myself immersed in the story. fantastic read.

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Review: Unconditional Confidence: Instructions for Meeting Any Experience with Trust and Courage

Unconditional Confidence: Instructions for Meeting Any Experience with Trust and Courage
Unconditional Confidence: Instructions for Meeting Any Experience with Trust and Courage by Pema Chödrön
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

you can’t go wrong with Pema Chodron.

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Daily Year of Yes – 261

Year of Yes – 261

 

I find that my life is a recurring series of feeling like things are smooth and that I am doing what matters most to me and feeling like I am completely off the rails. I alternate between the two and I can’t even tell when I am about to fall off.

The last few weeks have been very chaotic and I am way off my routine and not eating well, not moving enough, not sleeping enough. Not getting enough done.

And I’m a bit sick of it.

Here’s to hoping I can go back on the other cycle soon!

Yes to giving myself grace and yes to getting back on track!

#yearofyes #karenikayearofyes

Daily Year of Yes – 260

Year of Yes – 260

 

This past week was a full week for us so today I am grateful for the weekend and for hopefully getting a bit of downtime.

This coming week is the first week since school started that we will have no transitions or birthdays. I am hoping that can mean we can slowly start establishing a new routine.

Step by step.

Yes to adjusting as we go.

#yearofyes #karenikayearofyes

Daily Year of Yes – 259

Year of Yes – 259

 

Too tired for anything pithy today. Lately I am making a list of things to let go and release so I can make room for things I want to invite into my life or things I want to lean into more.

Yes to making space.

#yearofyes #karenikayearofyes

Daily Year of Yes – 258

Year of Yes – 258

 

I’ve been tired and unmotivated lately. I find myself easily distracted and unable to focus for a long time. Apparently this is normal during a pandemic. (Is there even such a thing as normal during a pandemic??)

I have been trying to figure out how to get back on track to the way my routine and life and productivity was before. Not even sure what the before is in this context. It could mean before this week. Or before March 2020. Or before school started. Or before this busy work season. Likely a combination of all.

What I am trying to remind myself is that there’s no going ‘back’ I can only go ‘forward’ so I get to choose what I want my routine to look like from here onward. And instead of retrofitting what was there before, I get to design a new one that fits into my life right now. I get to choose intentionally.

This way it’s not a reaction to what was there before and a constant comparison. Instead it’s an intentional design to work well with my current life.

As life shifts and evolves, as my moods change, as my schedule changes, I get to lean into it and shift with it. Life is so much easier when I flow in the direction of the current instead of swimming upstream.

Yes to being where I am and working with that.

#yearofyes #karenikayearofyes

Daily Year of Yes – 257

Year of Yes – 257

America is my chosen county. I wasn’t born here and I worked very hard to move here, make a life for myself, and to become a citizen.

It’s not a privilege I take for granted.

Almost 18 years ago, we left New York City to start the next phase of our lives and to start a family We chose to live in California. We were intentional. California is now the place I’ve lived the longest in. It’s my home.

I love living in California.

I’ve been to the southern tip, right by Mexico and I drove through the northern tip with all the magnificent Sequoia trees along the way. It’s an incredible state, full of incredible people and incredible nature.

Part of being a citizen of here, for me, is voting. Having my voice heard for how I want things to work in my home state. I am very grateful to get to vote. And to get to have my vote count.

Yes to voting.

#yearofyes #karenikayearofyes

Daily Year of Yes – 256

Year of Yes – 256

 

Today we had the last of the whirlwind September days. It was my day to celebrate with my hubby while the kids were at school.

We voted and then drove to the city to go to the ferry building where I love drinking coffee and watching the water and the birds. Then we went to a cafe I love in Cole Valley.

It was very ordinary and yet magical to get to take a day off work and give that time to each other again. Between work and kids, it’s not often we can easily find uninterrupted time for just the two of us.

My husband and I have been together for 27 years. I love him so much and I’m very grateful that we still find each other interesting.

Yes to spending time together.

#yearofyes #karenikayearofyes

Say Yes – 37

  • Weekly Intention: This is my week to celebrate my birthday. There are things going on at work and at home so my intention this week is just to stay as present as I can.
  • This month’s intention is: Yes to Possibilities: Time to root and surrender. This is a hard month for you. Transitions are rough. But you also turn 47. It’s magical to get to have another year. Remember the growth mindset. Let go of your preconceived ideas and embrace the possibilities. yes to magic.
  • One way I will leap this week: i am not sure this week, maybe rest and recover?
  • One boundary I will set this week: i will take time alone when i need it, i need this this week, too..
  • One area where I will go deeper this week: sitting with thoughts for 2022.
  • What do I need to sit with this week?  just gratitude
  • I am looking forward to: my birthday day off.
  • Focus on Core Desired Feelings (lighter, kinder, enough, magic, wild): a little heavier right now, we’ll see if i can release
  • This week’s challenges: just waiting until we’re in the clear.
  • Top Goals: 
    • Work:  totally be done with perf, move forward on September deliverables, think of more conversations, remember what matters most.
    • Personal:  celebrate birthday, more journaling and art, find another class, exercise.
    • Family: climb with J, get david to do class+ACT, find something for N, help the kids with school and J with work
  • This week, I want to remember: I am so lucky to get to celebrate another birthday.