What I first started these What I’m Into style post, I imagined them as a fun way to recap the previous month and as a way to make sure that I did something during the month that I would be excited to share with you – a type of external accountability that, as an Obliger, is a big part of my accomplishing anything that I want to do.

Well, ya’ll, April was challenging.  I had so much going on. I participated in a Live Discussion of the Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club’s flight pick, Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott.  Some of you are new here because of that conversation.  Welcome! 

I completed some admin-type tasks that have been hanging on for months:  finally, raking the leaves from fall 2020, getting the car service and scheduling a repair, completing the annual OBGYN appointment (I HATE those), rescheduling of dental appointment (that’s this week – wish me luck!), starting my Spring Cleaning (two rooms are done) which will probably last through Spring and into the Summer. I am pretty consistent with vacuuming and dusting but wiping down the baseboards, cleaning the blinds and the ceiling fans are not a regular part of that routine and thus are productions when they need to happen.  I’m hoping to get them cleaned and then add maintenance cleaning throughout the year.   

But I am really pleased with the steps that I took this month to stay sane in the midst of everything. I exercised regularly, an absolute must-do for me. I started a meditation practice of sitting in silence for 10-minutes per day which is fast becoming my favorite 10 minutes of the day.

I journaled about what and how I was actually feeling. As a writer, I’m hesitant to even confess this, but my journal has always been a sanitized version of my thoughts and feelings. It’s been more of diary, a recap of the day or a planning tool. I have never used it as a way to process my emotions in a healthy and positive way. Well, that changed this month. I made myself right my truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, and I have written and cried through so many pages. It is hard and I have to constantly ask myself as I am writing is “is this how I really feel?” because it’s so easy to run from the feelings and discuss the to do’s of the day. But it’s very cathartic and I am resolved to do it from now on.

I took a month-long break from Instagram. Instagram is my fav social media platform and for the first week, I missed it terribly. But by the end of week two, I realized how much time it’s been taking up.  I have used the last couple of weeks to consider the value that Instagram brings to my life and ways to make sure that I am getting the positives (interaction and connection) without so much of the negative (mindless scrolling).

And finally, the thing I am most proud of this month: I am determined to create memories for the Buddy Man (see my snow-day post here) so we surprised him and told him that we were going to do something that he had never done before. We took him strawberry picking. I have only been once before in my life and while the strawberries weren’t as sweet as I would have liked, the Buddy loved it and wants to do more things that he’s never done before. Ideas welcomed, ya’ll.

So what about you? What’s been keeping you sane in April? Tell us in the comments below and/or link to your own recap posts. We will do this again on Friday, June 4.

…enjoy life.