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The Routines of Life

5/24/2022

Routines. Does that sound a little boring? Are you more excited when you think about the unexpected? Or when you think about getting out of the “routine” to do something new or different? Yes…I get it! And at the same time, I have come to understand that routines in our lives should not be despised.
Let’s think about this word…routine.

Routine: a sequence of actions regularly followed; a fixed program.
Regular and fixed are the words I pick up from this definition.
Regular means something is constant or a definite and specific pattern in your life.
Fixed means it’s fastened securely in position. Something is firm and stable.

There are many things in life that are not stable or fixed. There are surprises that pop up! So what is the big deal about routines. Why should we consider this topic?

My morning

Routines in life—especially in our day-to-day life—can help us manage the stressors of life. There can be a comfort in the “known” things of our lives when other things feel in flux and in chaos. I can count on that morning coffee time. I can count on the nighttime journaling time. I can count on that Friday night movie with my friends, etc. Though things at work or other areas of life may feel out of sync, these routines are stable and fixed. The stable and fixed (even the simple stuff) can remind us that not all of life is out of sync.

Routines can organize our thoughts, our typical tasks, our repeated behaviors (brushing teeth, bill paying, etc.). With this organization, we can identify open time/space in our life for other things…maybe with some adjustments. We can make better judgments about what we can say “YES” to and what we need to say “NO” to.

Routines can cover our weaknesses and make us look smart! Hehehe! What do I mean by this? Well, if I have a routine of putting my keys on a specific hook when I get home, then I will have less times of madly looking for my keys and seeming like the bumbling woman who forgets where her keys are!

What are some routines we can create that will help us work towards a more stable and peaceful life? Here are some of my thoughts…

Organizing the cash in my wallet. Clean out the receipts. Put the bills in order (smallest to largest). Put any coins in a specific section.
Having a specific spot for my phone and reading glasses in my purse.
Having a specific hook, chain, pocket, etc. for my keys in my purse.
Weekly/Daily tasks/To Do Lists. Writing it down. Putting it on my digital calendar. This keeps me accountable and offers me reminders, especially when life is moving at a fast pace.

Afternoon coffee breaks are a routine

Establishing “wake up” routines (readings, journaling, daily declarations, prayers, listening to music/pod casts, showering, breakfast routine). Create a routine. You may have a couple of different routines depending on your days. You may have a work week “wake up” routine and a weekend “wake up” routine.
Establishing “goodnight” routines (readings, journaling, listening to soothing music or sounds, turning off your devices, stretches, a hot shower, prayers). Create a routine that helps you relax and begin to signal to your body you are preparing to sleep. You begin to shut down. You put all the planning, thoughts of worry, etc. on the shelf to wait for another day. Journaling can be a good way to get those thoughts out of your head and close the book on them until the next day.
What would you put here?? What are your ideas??

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Anchors in Life

3/18/2022

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What comes to your mind when you think of anchors?

Anchors are an interesting topic. There is a variety of types and sizes of anchors. They each perform the same basic task of keeping a boat from drifting away. However, depending on the type of boat, the size of boat, and the type of “grounding” (i.e. into sand or into rocks) required, the anchors will perform this task in their own unique way.

Let’s take this thought and move into our lives…

What are some of the anchors you have established in your life?
What helps you keep steady in the ebbs and flows of life?
What holds you in place when stormy gusts of wind are blowing through your life?

Here are some thoughts using ANCHORS as an acronym. Can you relate to any of these?

A = Allow (Allow others to support & help you in life struggles. Allow yourself to think of different options and ideas. Do not get stuck in the traditions or ruts or “shoulds” of the past.)

N = No Fear (Fear can paralyze us. The shadows of fear can distort the true image of opportunities that are coming our way.)

C = Commitment (Stay the course of promises given &/or goals desired. “Where there is a will, there is a way.” Stay the course.)

Find a company of good friends.

H = Honesty (Be honest about what is happening: what you are feeling and struggling with. Help could be from someone in your life…they just need to know what you need.)

O = Optimism and Openness (Believe. Believe in the rainbows after the storms. It’s easy to see the negative. Look for the good and hold on to it!! And LAUGH! Joy is a source of strength.)

R = Rest (Learn to “sleep on it”. Things can look different after a good night’s sleep. Take care of yourself in the storms…your whole man: spirit, soul, and body. Set healthy boundaries.)

S = See Beyond (Develop your vision to see the other side of the storm. Develop an attitude of hope. A vision fulfilled is far greater than temporary problems that you had to walk through.)

Times to rest and relax and release the pressure.

Keep the vision clear. Give to others!

A song for comfort and hope in the storms of life:

S A F E

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Will You Dare to Believe?

2/19/2022

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Have you ever had THAT song stuck in your head?

I’m sure you have. There’s something about that song in particular that grabbed your attention—maybe the beat, maybe a memory connected with it, maybe a message it gives…

I have found those little urges, like a song stuck in my head, are important to recognize. Important to stop and ponder on it or just let it flow out of me as I sing it, tap my feet to the beat of it, remember it, and so forth. Often there is a reason beyond our logical mind that has connected us to that memory. I may have an occasion come up that day to share it with someone who really needed what that song gave to me (a pick-me-up, etc.)…and I would have never thought of it in my normal logical routine of the day.

In these moments of “out of nowhere” memories or ideas, we are reminded that we are more than a body. We are more than an intellect guided by logical thought. We are more than what we see, feel, connect with in the physical world around us. We also exist in a spiritual world. We are a spirit at the core of our being.

The things of the spirit realm are real. The things of the spirit realm are unseen. The things of this seen realm come from the unseen.

WHAT?!? You may say.

Well, think about inventions that we now enjoy in our regular life--

Before there was a motorcar “seen” in this physical world, it was first seen or dreamed of in an unseen realm.
Before there was an airplane “seen” in this physical world, it was seen or dreamed of in an unseen realm.

The list could continue…

These inventions were brought out of the unseen into the seen.

Realize that YOU and your tomorrow are more than what you “see” today!

Pay attention to those inner impressions. Pay attention to the dreams that float up to your mind. There are things that lay hidden in the unseen of our spirit. They are real. And they begin in the unseen.

Will you DARE TO BELIEVE?

For a little fun, here is a song that can get stuck in my head.

Have some fun, smile, and...

enjoy!

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Cindy writes about her adventures, observations, and other nuggets from living in another nation. She and John live in SE Asia. She will also share nuggets from her 58 plus years of life.

New blogs are normally posted once a month.

McKinney International

The Routines of Life

Anchors in Life

Will You Dare to Believe?

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