Hi there, how are you doing today?

Ryan’s Current musings:

Distractions. They’re always present, but it’s on a continuum.

This past week, AKA my kids’ Spring Break, was high on the continuum for me. Side note: I love words with a double “u” (not a “w” lol), don’t you? I still remember the day in elementary school when I found out that “vacuum” was not spelled “vacume” That was a memorable moment!

Anyway, I, myself, was not on a spring break, but my youngest son and his girlfriend came to visit for the first half of the week, then they piled into a caravan and set off for Port Aransas with a bunch of friends. Oh the life! Then on Sunday, they “bedraggled” themselves back to Austin to shake the sand out of their shoes and then catch a late afternoon flight back to Pittsburgh.

Since I’m such a helper by nature, they were a giant distraction for me. Not in a bad way, mind you. I like spending time with them. But that’s not energy I’d accounted for, you see.

And then, come May, June, July and half of August…the man-chicks come back to the nest for the summer. Cheep cheep cheep! They’ll be cute and noisy for sure! And cooking in the middle of the night, and dropping their shoes everywhere, leaving the cars’ gas tanks on empty…oh wait, no, that’s my hubby who does that…

I’ve come to treasure my quiet-er life as an empty nester this year. Not apologizing in the slightest! My focus and energy can be more my own, except for my distracting cats, of course.

So I’m going to enjoy March and April on the distraction continuum that doesn’t involve extra people in my house. And then, when they’re here for the summer, I’ll seek to spend time both WITH them and also, AWAY from them. 

It’s okay!! I’m not a bad mom!! I’m just a distraction magnet so I will relocate, close doors, wear headphones in order to get my FOCUS on. 

I’ll keep you updated on how that goes!!

Current tool:

Taking my cues from the amazing Dana K. White, I’m “doing the dishes” almost every night. Funnily, I don’t WANT to, EVER, but I do. 

Why? Because I’d SO MUCH rather do a single day’s worth of dishes because there’s something evil about dishes. The longer you wait, the more they exponentially worsen, and then it takes so much longer to do them! Dana calls it “Dishes Math” and she’s so right. Can we say, “baked on, caked on, stuck on foods”???

And, truthfully, I only do mine to about 80%, but OMG how much better is it to come into the kitchen in the morning and the dishes are mostly done as opposed to gross and depressing?? 

SO. MUCH. BETTER.

Perfect is the enemy of progress…80% is more than good enough most of the time.

When Overwhelma is knocking, do the dishes.

First. Always. 

And blare some music or put an audiobook in your earbuds!

Current offerings:

Don’t miss another Digital Decluttering Live! Free Workshop (Thursdays at 12p CST)

Register for one (or both!) of our next Friday Binderpaloozas – (3/29 and 4/26 from 9a-12p CST) $55 each 

BONUS: sign up for BOTH by 3/27 and get a complimentary 45 minute coaching session with me to get set up for success before the workshop ($56 value!)

Curious how to get more done according to YOUR OWN STRENGTHS? 

Get a Kolbe A assessment and open your eyes to how you NATURALLY problem-solve!! ($55)

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Current read:

I’m a huge fan of dragons, elves, dwarves and magic: staples found in mystical fiction set in fabricated worlds! I’m on the fourth book (and the thickest!) in the Inheritance Cycle series by Christopher Paolini. You may have heard of the first book, Eragon. He wrote that one when he was 19!

PS Do NOT watch the movie. It was agreed upon by all to be absolute garbage!

Current self care:

(Other than reading fiction…) I’m using a technique introduced to me by Dawn Madsen (The Minimal Mom) called “hushing” a space in order to calm the energy in my home. If you have ever voluntarily taken EVERYTHING off of your counters and tried to keep as much off as possible for as long as possible, you are familiar with “hushing” a space. It can be a simple process applied to any space of any size that is YELLING at you. 

I’m hushing my drop zone right inside door (AKA my dining table), I’m hushing the floor when it has gathered too many shoes, cat toys, and Amazon packaging (even though I’m not the culprit), I’m hushing my bathroom counter (which gathers things like lighting!).

Then when I circle back…it’s better! A space temporarily “hushed” lowers that cortisol and increases dopamine! That’s future me self-care:)

Right, Lady Mary? (ohhhh I miss Downton Abbey so much)

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