What I'm Focusing on This Season

Well, January has been crazy. I know I said that already, but it really can't be said enough. This month has seen me starting a new job, adapting to a new schedule, and taking on more volunteer work at church because we have an awesome- but big!- event coming up.

And while I love everything I'm getting to do, I haven't had a lot of downtime because of it. I've literally had to schedule time off because otherwise it might not happen! Long gone are the slow days of fall, of hours in Barnes & Noble blogging and writing. I miss those days, of course, but they also made me a little restless, so it's nice to have a little action back in my life.

But I think that because the second half of last year was so slow and different for me, it was easier to soak in all the lessons I could get out of it. I knew that I was supposed to be working on my patience, my writing, my discipline. Now that things are busier, it's a little harder to be deliberate about those things. So before I completely lose myself in the madness to come, I wanted to set aside some time to write out the things I want to focus on in this season. Because I believe that every season, no matter how crazy, should be a season of growth.

Overthink less. A lot less. I've always been an over-thinker. I do it when I'm writing, working on projects, and even just having a conversation with someone. It's something I've gotten better at, but there's also definitely room for growth. If there's one thing I've learned lately it's that overthinking is almost always a waste of time. Sure, there are times when it's okay to pause and linger on a decision. But for me, there are definitely a lot of times when I just need to press "send" or say what I'm really thinking. This is always something that requires discretion and wisdom, but I've already seen the benefits that just doing things sometimes can bring.

Check my heart. If there's one thing I don't like about busy seasons, it's how easy it can be to rush through them without stopping to reflect on what's going on in your heart. But if we don't- if we don't try to find the root of negative actions like outbursts of anger or bouts of sadness- we'll just end up in worse shape down the road. It's so vital to stay in tune with our hearts and deal with issues as soon as they come up. I want to make sure that even in this busy season I make time to do that, whether it's by journaling or just taking some time off to reflect.

Be more confident. In myself, in God, and in where I am in life. I feel like I've gotten a lot better at this lately, especially because I feel like God has brought me to exactly where I'm supposed to be right now. I'm not anxious about my future like I was last year- quite the opposite. I'm perfectly fine with not knowing where I'll be in a year right now. I kind of like it, actually (I know, I'm strange). I still doubt myself sometimes though, especially when I'm taking on new roles that I've never done before. But like I said, I know God has me where I am for a reason. And that's enough to be confident about everything.

#2016 #life