Caring for Yourself: There is something to be said for new seasons. Whether it is the transition from summer to autumn, autumn to winter, winter to spring, or spring to summer, there is something about a new season that feels like a fresh start; a blank slate if you will. Whether you prefer a paper calendar or use an electronic time management system, there is something refreshing about turning the page to a blank month. Everything that happened the previous month is gone, and we begin again with expectation of the time that lies before us. It is a fresh start.
01 A Blank Slate
I love a paper calendar. With the turning of each page, whether daily, weekly, or monthly, there is the overwhelming feeling of beginning again. A fresh start. It is so easy to get bogged down in the daily rut, and if we aren’t mindful of our time, we can suddenly awaken to find that our summer has passed us by, or the month has flown by unnoticed, or the year is quickly drawing to a close.
But with each new calendar page, there is also a wealth of opportunity. We can choose what we give our time to. We can opt in or opt out of invitations, events, or appointments. We can choose. A blank calendar page is a blank slate, but it is also a fresh start.
02 A Gathering Place
Something curious I find is that once I fill in my calendar at the start of the month, I rarely refer back to it again. I typically write appointments and markers on my weekly or daily calendars. This caused me to think about how better I could use these blank slates.
While some mark a monthly overview calendar with birthdays, anniversaries, vacations, and deadlines, I’ve discovered that there is little else that goes on these pages. Time sensitive appointments and reminders typically go on daily or weekly pages.
What if we began using these blank slates as gathering places? What if, instead, they became space for daily memories, records of gratitude, or little unexpected blessings? Then, at the end of each month, we could look back at all the amazing things we encountered and relive again, the little refreshing joys of life.
03 A Fresh Start
There is so much about life that we look forward to and document on our calendars. But there are also moments we document that are not joyful; doctor’s appointments, stressful appointments, reminders of loves lost… If we are truly intentional about finding and celebrating joy in life, we must embrace blank slates and fresh starts just as we do the changing of seasons.
While it may sound oversimplified, I truly believe there is happiness that comes from looking back over the course of time and reminiscing about the good things… small things… inconsequential things. For example, on my September calendar I have three dates already completed. They read: (9.1) “Good times with good friends. (9.2) The early autumn rain. (9.3) A peaceful night’s sleep.”
Suddenly, each new blank slate truly represents a fresh start. Each blank calendar becomes a space to collecting memories, for celebration, and for remembering all the good we encounter. Each new month’s start becomes a blank slate: One we can fill with achievements, treasured memories, and little blessings.
In the words of Kathleen Kelly, try it. “I know you’ll love it!”
xo, Billie
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