Sweet November, that wonderful season of preparation, thanksgiving, and rest before the holiday hustle and bustle.
The nights get cooler, the days get shorter, and we wait for glimpses of those first few snowflakes of winter (well, some of us do). But with the rush of the end of the semester, a full teaching schedule, and a few other projects to manage, the rosy glow of my ideal November fades a little.
I admit this is usually the time of year when I put my head down, do what I need to do each week, and look forward to a fresh, new year when I can take a breath and hit "restart" on goals, plans, and living in general. I get burnt out on my goals. I get tired of my routine. I lose focus.
But this weekend, I took some time to sit still, to be still, and I realized—life is too short to live with your head down. There are so many things to enjoy in the moment (like the brilliant yellow trees, glowing in the sunlight outside my window right now).
Sometimes I find myself so wrapped up in my to-do list that it doesn't seem like there is time to do anything but what is absolutely essential. Does that ever happen to you? This weekend, I was reminded (partly from reading this post) that we're given enough time for everything that matters. It comes down to how we manage our time and the priorities we set.
What really matters? Here are a few things that came to mind:
Making time for that passing conversation with someone in the hall
Offering a word of encouragement to someone who is feeling overwhelmed
Baking cookies to give away to others
Making the people in my life a priority and being fully present
Going the extra mile with kindness and grace
This is how I want to live my days this holiday season. This is how I want to spend my time: focusing on what matters. The rest will fall into place, as it always does. What will you make happen this month?
