Sometimes life has a way of changing either dramatically and smacking us in the face, or changing so gradually that we barely recognize that it is different than it was in the past. We grow and change as a family through the seasons, for sure. But sometimes we need a hard reset to get back to our own values and the things that matter most.

This week is Michaelmas, a favorite festival of mine and I love this opportunity to think about shifting into the season. What has been lost in busyness? What has changed and required a new rhythm? What needs more time? If you feel like hiding in a blanket fort and not seeing people, how can you get some more downtime? Where is the time for yourself?

This has been a busy time of life for me personally. I really ramped up during the pandemic with working and moving to a farm, plus still homeschooling and obligations with our other children, it seems kind of whirlwind.

So, I am looking ahead to October and seeing what I can do to tame things. It should be calmer, but I am also making it calmer. If I wait for things to calm down, at least with the ages that our children are, that could be a long time!

Here are a few things I am doing and maybe they will help you:

1. Scheduling exercise 4-5 times a week. Not negotiable even if things are crazy.
2. Back to meal planning and batch cooking, which fell off in September.
3. Keeping our homeschooling times as non negotiable times.
4. Scheduling farm work times daily for routine tasks. The list of special projects is often overwhelming, and the projects require money, so while not everything on that list can really happen, maybe small pieces of it can as we break projects down into pieces.
5. Scheduling appointments, things around our place of worship, and seeing friends for October now so they don’t get shoved aside. Also, if I schedule them across a month I can see how busy or calm it is and how I need to balance things to make the month match my energy.
6. I have patients that email and ask me to make space in my schedule for them. I started a cancel list rather than keep adding to my hours. If I burnout, no one will be seen and treated.
7. Set one goal for each area (for me – farm, patient care/continuing education, homeschooling) this month that I would like to see happen. Find the top focus in each area.
8. Prioritize rest and sleep. Rather than continuing to go at warp speed, honor my body and emotional state.

What is helping you shift into the season where you live?

Blessings,

Carrie