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.

Chalkboard word-art that says, "Let it snow."

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.

Word-art that says, "Sometimes you don't feel the weight of something you've been carrying until you feel the weight of its release."

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.

Word-art that says, "Happiness is letting go of what you think your life is supposed to look like and celebrating it for everything that it is." -Mandy Hale

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.

Word-art that says, "Challenge yourself."

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.

Word-art with circling arrows and a cloud of words like "fulfillment" and "give back."

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.

Happy Holidays image with ornaments and tree branches.

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!

Word-art with a library photo that says, "Take time to do what makes your soul happy."

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.”

There’s an old expression that holding onto resentment is like letting your enemies live rent-free in your head. I just came across an image on Pixabay that illustrates a creative variation on that idea, so I’m sharing it for today’s Nurturing Thursday post.

Word-art that says, "Holding hostages?" with an image of a prisoner in a person's head and a cloud of words like "Resenting" and "Fearing."

(Image credit: John Hain)

I like the idea of visualizing those old pointless grudges as prisoners, rather than squatters, because it makes clear that they have no power and can be turned loose at any time. Squatters act with intent and are likely to resist being evicted, whereas prisoners just mark time and are glad to be released. After they’ve been behind bars for so many years, maybe they don’t even remember how they got there.

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.”

My husband has been away on a business trip this week; he’ll return later this evening. The house has been weirdly quiet. I was working from home before the pandemic, and quiet days felt ordinary to me then, but it’s very different now that I have been sharing the home office space with my husband for almost three years. Without having him around to fill my office area with cheerful energy, it just seems like a big, empty place.

While it’s also fair to note that sometimes he has interminable meetings that leave me craving a quieter space, this week has brought into focus how blessed I am to have a loving family—along with others who brighten my life such as kind friends, helpful coworkers, and readers who take the time to write encouraging comments on this blog. Many thanks to all!

Word-art that says, "To all the people who are loving and kind to me. Thank you for the sunshine you bring into my life."

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.”

Wonderful turkey day wishes to all! I’ve been happily spending a quiet Thanksgiving reading an excellent fantasy novel, Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik. Inspired by the Rumpelstiltskin fable and set in a dukedom in long-ago Poland, it tells the story of a moneylender’s daughter who bargains for her life with a magical winter king. I was so engrossed in the book that it wasn’t easy to take a break just to write this short blog post. Good books are rare treasures, and I am thankful for a world that has them.

Word-art with a turkey that says, "Happy Thanksgiving."

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.”