A few months ago, my sweet friend Marcelle led our Kids staff team in a great exercise during a devotional time. Now, let me take a time-out here for a minute. Many of you probably think that since I work for a church, we sit around around, reading our Bible and praying all day (picture Kum-bah-ya by the campfire). Well, there is a little of that, but not that often--at least not during work-time. Most days are spent in meetings talking over what went well and how to improve what didn’t go well and how to get the work done to make it happen.
Ok, back to my story...A few months ago, Marcelle was leading our team and she asked us to write down our Joy Suckers (those things that suck the life out of us) and Joy Boosters (those things that fulfill us).
One of my Joy Boosters was margin. Not the profit kind (although that IS good, too). The margin I’m talking about is room to breathe. I like to think I’m efficient. How this plays out in reality is that I schedule every minute of my life and don’t often schedule some down time. Or, because it is scheduled downtime, it doesn’t feel like true rest. What I’m finding is that when I have spontaneous downtime—allowing margin in my schedule—I am a much nicer person to be around AND I have time to dream, create and write—without it adding stress to my life.
So, what are your Joy Boosters? I really would love to hear—even if it’s getting out of the house without your children after being cooped up with them during the ice week of 2011 (believe me, I was a stay at home mom for a while--I do understand the "fun" having little ones brings). What will you do to nourish the things that bring you joy?
For me, its being okay with the fact that I may never have a huge following on my blog (I am up to a whopping 12 people now) since I’m not consistent and don’t have a lot of really important things to say. (Face it, hearing about my girls' house shoe drama is not gonna change anyone's life.) I tried at one point to post on a consistent day, or to write my posts and have blogger post them on a consistent day, but it made my ramblings mechanical for me and not a creative outlet. So I stopped. Writing is a Joy Booster for me and I don’t want to ever lose the excitement and fulfillment it brings me.
Ok—back to you (I’ll shut up now, I promise). What brings you joy? Seriously.
1 comment:
Margin is a big one for me, too...so I can let my mind go where it will vs. from the current task to the next and the next. Time alone. Fun time with my husband. Time with good friends. A change of scenery for more than 24hrs. Movies. Short creative projects. Leisurely shopping (but not necessarily buying) in places with beautiful things...I'm so visual that the order and the beauty relaxes me and stirs my creativity. Long baths. A good book.
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