A Timely Reset
Every year my birthday and the end of the year coincide, begging for a time of reflection. This New Years Eve was no different. I sat writing, praying, and dreaming in a hotel room as the rain streamed down against the window pane. The soothing sounds of the water against the glass drowned out surrounding noise, but the stirring in my heart remained. After a busy season of writing, schooling, family, and holidays, it became clear that I needed a reset: heart, mind, and body.
A Mind Reset
My mind is constantly distracted by comparison. I wish it weren’t so, but I need to be mindful of it in order to stay healthy. Do you ever wish you could wear blinders, like a horse, to block the view to your left and right? Me too. In that light, to effectively focus on where God is leading me this year, I set dedicated time aside to focus and to fast. Last month I took a break from the app that consistently receives the best of my time, while those under my roof experience the leftovers. In order to set myself up for success for an Instagram break, a strategic plan was needed. This plan involved two key components that have been life changing:
Move the App
Out of mere laziness (Who wants to have to sign back in?), I decided not to delete it entirely. However, all of my social media apps were moved to the second screen on my phone, and consolidated into a folder. Not only did this decrease the size of the app, it demanded several clicks to access what was once readily available. Just what I needed.
Cancel the Notifications
Evidently, there is a magic setting on all of our phones that actually gives us control over when we want to be notified, dinged, and interrupted. Until this point, most of my apps were turned to the ‘On’ position, so every few minutes, a notification by bar, beep, or buzz would arrive. These disruptions not only appeared on my phone, but were synced up to my watch, so that no matter how hard I tried they succeeded at obtaining my glance. It was time for a change.
If you are feeling the need to adjust this year, and I highly recommend it, might I suggest the following: In Settings, choose Notifications. Then, one by one, decide which apps you want to allow into your day. There is no guilt or shame.
Helpful tip: Only allow notifications to the apps that truly bring joy, and turn ‘Off’ the ones that detract from the life in front of you.
These two strategic actions allowed me to rest and recover while simultaneously teaching me a few things:
First of all, I did not realize how many of my mindless minutes are filled with social media. By taking it out of the equation, I redeemed my time to accomplish more meaningful tasks, not the least of which resulted in increased engagement with those around me. Imagine that!
Secondly, it was shocking to realize how powerful muscle memory is; I literally watched my thumb automatically swipe right, and reach for the previous location of Instagram. To it’s surprise it always landed on the Bible app instead. So, guess what? I’ve been more consistent with my Bible reading plan than any other year.
Helpful tip: It’s important not to just delete something, but to replace it with something better.
What could that be for you?
Lastly, I’ve learned that I truly haven’t missed much. While I do miss connecting with some friends, overall it has been a joy-filled month, and I’ve felt less agitated, irritable, and distracted. Truly. I”ve decided I will do this in some form periodically to help remain healthy.
A Heart Reset
My heart was been hurting and distracted lately by the recent events in our country. As I was thinking about what books I wanted to read (and there are so many), in this season and for the month of January - I only wanted to read the Bible. This is not because I’m some super Christian, it’s because I’m witnessing many, on all sides of the equation, misrepresenting Jesus and God with behavior that is nothing like Him. I deeply desire to read in order to discern and pray for God to reveal his true self to me. So I began reading through The Bible Recap plan on the Bible App and listening to The Bible Recap podcast after each day’s reading to hear relatable commentary. It has been so sweet.
It’s never too late to join if it’s something God lays on your heart, or if you find yourself like me - desperate to know who He really is.
Helpful tip: Join the reading plan with a friend or your husband and read together. It keeps you accountable without having to plan!
A Body Reset
This is one area in which you probably don’t need my suggestions, because after all, the new year is prime time for every diet and eating plan known to man/woman. Carry on with whatever fast or plan you wish. My plan surprised even me! I didn’t want to diet, but I did want some change. So, I started out this year with a new dedication to my morning routine in two key ways:
1.start with the evening
Our morning routine is directly affected by our evening rhythms. We know this, because it’s increasingly difficult to function the morning after a later night (especially if you are in your 40’s). My husband and I have tried encouraging one another to read more. To do this as a family, we have decided that Tuesdays and Fridays are our TV nights, and the rest of the evenings are spent with family games or individual reading. It has been helpful on many levels thus far. As always, our rhythms are created, but remain flexible.
Something else I’ve been reminded of through this process, is that our phones are meant to serve us not the other way around. In the clock app on your phone (I have an iphone), there is a setting for bedtime. See image below. Did you know this? It’s brilliant. You can set what time you want to go to bed and wake up. Your phone helps remind you, and you can even select a “Do not disturb” setting to eliminate distractions in the middle of the night, unless it’s for emergencies (which you can identify from your ‘favorites’ in your Contact list). This one thing has helped me sleep and stay accountable to a reasonable bedtime more than anything else. Try it!
Helpful tip: Choose evening rhythms that are flexible and sustainable for your real life.
2. choose water first
Instead of immediately waking up and checking Instagram over coffee, I dedicated the first minutes of my morning to reading the bible plan over lemon water.
Yes, I said it: lemon water. I have long known the benefits of drinking lemon in water, but I can’t tell you how much better I’ve felt drinking a full glass of water with lemon each morning BEFORE my coffee.
Helpful tip: In addition to the lemon, try sprinkling in some Turmeric powder for a health kick.
Turmeric is known to help with a myriad of things, but please look it up and make sure it’s right for you.
I pray that as you evaluate your own rhythms, you take into consideration a true rest in each of these areas. Write down how you feel and what you would do differently so you don’t forget next time. Then, share with me, so I can cheer you on and celebrate.