Today was rainy and dark, with an occasional rumble of thunder. Not much to look at. When I stepped outside, though, I really liked the soft feeling of the humid air, starting to feel just a little more like spring. It was a good reminder that there is something to enjoy in every day.
Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to encourage self-nurturing and to “give the planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.”
After replacing an old Keurig coffeemaker with the latest model, I went into the kitchen yesterday morning and found an “update successful” message on its screen. I took a picture of it just because the idea of a coffeemaker updating itself seemed interesting.
Of course, I’m showing my age here because the younger generation wouldn’t think anything of it. They’ve grown up with all kinds of devices getting frequent updates. I don’t mind, though—it keeps the mind healthy to have a sense of wonder, even with something as ordinary as a coffeemaker.
Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to encourage self-nurturing and to “give the planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.”
I’ve had a quiet day at home. When I sat down to write this post in the late evening, there didn’t seem to be much to say about it. I was just being in the world, not feeling as if I needed anything in particular. After a moment of reflection, I decided that was okay. There is no requirement to always be doing something productive, and real happiness can be found in those peaceful, unburdened moments.
Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to encourage self-nurturing and to “give the planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.”
This week I’ve been looking out the window at snowy, overcast days, mostly staying indoors except for a couple of errands on Tuesday afternoon. I am feeling a cheerful energy, though, almost like when we were kids and had a snow day. It’s actually just another workday for me, but I’m taking a break to write this post, and right now I don’t feel any time pressure. It’s all good.
Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to encourage self-nurturing and to “give the planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.”
Last month I put in an application for an open position in my company, and I’ve been going through the internal interview process. Because I have been with the same employer for many years, the application isn’t stressful, in and of itself. I am simply looking for new experiences and an opportunity to gain more skills; there’s no imminent risk of layoffs or other bad consequences if I stay in my current position. Also, if I don’t get offered this particular job, it’s likely that something else will come up.
It did bring some amount of old subconscious stress to the surface, though. Memories of searching for a job when I was young and took rejections more personally, as if doors were getting slammed in my face, came bubbling up from wherever they’d been lurking. I would’ve expected those old insecurities to be long gone by now, but they took me somewhat by surprise.
At the same time, I’m also feeling better in a way that’s hard to define—more solid, more grounded. Becoming more aware of those fears has gone a long way toward releasing them.
Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to encourage self-nurturing and to “give the planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.”
If someone had asked me 30 years ago what I expected my life would look like in 2023, I’m not sure how I might have pictured it. Whatever I imagined would’ve been very different, though. We didn’t have cell phones or the Internet back then, and I wouldn’t have expected to be working from a home office with my husband sharing the space. It also would never have occurred to me that we might develop an interest in competitive rowing and that we’d start traveling to regattas.
With everything in the world changing so quickly, I now try to avoid making assumptions about what should happen going forward. There are always good things to find in the here and now—and even though they may not be what we expected, they’re still worth celebrating.
Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to encourage self-nurturing and to “give the planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.”
Last weekend I did a rowing machine challenge that was a series of 5-minute rows with a progression of slower rates. The first row was at 17 strokes per minute, followed by another at 16, and so on, while doing it with enough power to sustain a reasonable pace.
I managed to get down to 10 strokes per minute, which was something I had never tried to do before. Rowing at such a slow rate requires a lot of core strength. Apparently, my core was weaker than I thought, because I was pretty sore through the midsection the next day and am still feeling it a little. The monthly subscription for my Hydrow rowing machine also includes yoga and other online workouts that are good for strengthening the core, so it’s about time I did a few more of them.
Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to encourage self-nurturing and to “give the planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.”
This year my husband and I haven’t done much for Christmas; we are just enjoying a quiet week around the house. We bought an update for the navigation in my husband’s SUV, which he installed today, although we won’t be going on any road trips in the near future.
While that may sound kind of boring, the navigation update is actually something that we are grateful to have. We didn’t buy it two years ago because, with the pandemic, there wasn’t anywhere to go. Now, with the last days of 2022 winding down, we have more appreciation for simply being able to travel and get together with friends, towing the boat trailer (most people in our rowing club don’t have a large enough vehicle) so that our friends can go to the regattas with us. Staying connected with others is part of a fulfilling life, which we often took for granted in the past.
Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to encourage self-nurturing and to “give the planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.”
The winter storm got here later in the evening, there’s plenty of snow on the ground now, and it’s still falling (along with the temperature). Definitely a white Christmas weekend on the way. Just right for cozy winter nights with a mug of hot chocolate, a crackling fireplace (even if it’s not real wood), lights and tinsel shining on the tree, and being together.
Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to encourage self-nurturing and to “give the planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.”
After a long string of dark days, I can totally understand why pagans in ancient times would light candles at the winter solstice to chase away the dark. Unlike the pagans, however, we are blessed with libraries and plenty of books to curl up with in a cozy modern house.
My workgroup had a Reading Challenge this year, which involved reading books in various categories. It’s over now, but I checked out a sequel from the library to one of the novels that I read as part of the challenge. Just right for the slower pace of winter days!
Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to encourage self-nurturing and to “give the planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.”
