[April Update]
Clean out the ever-loving car. Done and, more importantly, it’s stayed clean. Hallelujah.
Read a fiction book. I read both Sharp Objects and Daddy’s Little Girl, mostly for nostalgia sake, since when I was in high school I read every Mary Higgins Clark book I could get my hands on. The books were incredibly similar and I kept getting them confused (Sharp Objects was obviously much better.) In all, it felt wonderful to get lost in a book again.
Nightly 10-minute tidy and floss + stretch daily were abandoned when I went through the shit show that was last month.
[May Intentions]
This month is all about self-care after a difficult last month. I spent a lot of time wallowing and eating chocolate and drinking Diet Coke and now I’m emerging from the grief cocoon ready to have an amazing month. Or at least a better month. Here’s what I plan on doing:
Start running again. After not running for a few months while trying to become, and then being, pregnant, I MISS IT. It’s my favorite way to get outside and feel good about myself. I’ve written before about what running means to me. I’m hoping to run a 10K this summer (a race I’ve only done once and hope to improve my time). I ran 4 miles yesterday. My legs are aching today, but, MAN, I am happy about it.
Abs + push ups + squats. A theme this month is exercise. Not because I’m unhappy with my body, but because my body hasn’t felt this normal in a few months. I was pretty nauseous for a month, then pretty blah for a month. I want to make use of feeling well and be physically active. I have a few apps that make it easy to stick with a simple routine.
Social media fast. I’ve mentioned this several times, but I’m staying off of Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram this month to give myself a little breathing room and hopefully make space for good things, like being more present.
Create a schedule/game plan/bucket list for summer. We have some big things coming up in the next few weeks – a family trip to DC, the end of the school year, a party, and another trip to Chicago in just over a month. Oh, and we might be going to Hawaii. And I’m definitely going on a girls’ trip with friends. It’s shaping up to be an awesome summer, but we’re hoping to create some sort of childcare schedule so I can ramp up Little Leaf work and Mike can work on his dissertation. I feel like I’ve been lacking in the business goals department lately, so hopefully this summer will be a great time to focus on that.
Happy May. May it be HAPPY. (Didja what I did there?)
I’m sort of jealous of your social media fast. Yeah yeah, I know I can do it, but I’m not sure I have the will-power to do so. Then again, I don’t really overdo social media in the first place. I know my crazy tendencies to check check and check again my email and Facebook. It sometimes drives my husband crazy (and me, too, for that matter). So, Facebook is really my only outlet. No Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or other social media accounts to keep track of. Instead of being jealous of your will-power, maybe I should just celebrate how simple my social media profile is. (And really, I should just stop comparing altogether). ha. I hope May brings you some well-deserved peace of mind, body and spirit, Ashley.
I really, REALLY need to clean my car this month. Thank you for reminding me and giving me motivation :)
I’m glad you are focusing on taking care of yourself and have lots of exciting things coming up!
I LOVE MARY HIGGINS CLARK. So much. Still. I always bring one of her books on airplanes with me!
Um, this makes you even MORE one of the most awesome people ever.
I can’t wait to get my abs back after I give birth in August. Well, I really just want to be able to do all the physically involved workouts that I can’t right now….xo
I’m working on my Summer checklist too, I feel like if I don’t write down what I want to do it’ll fly by in no time and I’ll be so sad I didn’t do some things.
Also, if you haven’t read Dark Places yet, I highly recommend it. Gillian Flynn is one hell of a writer and I think I liked that one best!
Also again, I hope May is a much better month for you. With sparkles and sunshine and play dates and good times all around. Just so you know.
I was just thinking that I hadn’t seen you in a few days on Instagram (which is pretty much the ONLY social media I use. I look at Facebook but I don’t really use it) which prompted me to pop on over here. A fast sounds lovely. I’m thinking of doing something similar Facebook wise, but not sure I could do Instagram. Though I suppose it’s a challenge!
I am thinking of running a half marathon in the fall. I am excited and terrified at the same time.
Also, just so you know, if you three ever wanna come to STL our door is ALWAYS open. Always!
A family trip to DC? Uh, keep me posted please!!!
May sounds like it’s going to be an amazing month for you, and I’m glad, because you deserve it. :)
I thought the social media fast meant no blogging, too! Glad I was wrong :)
Maybe it should! ;) But I find blogging way less…crazy-making than Twitter or Facebook. ;) Maybe it’s the slower pace.