Month 3: Marching Forward with Decision
On A Date with Myself!
Basking in the sun, wandering without a schedule, and simply enjoying my own company. Just me, just what I needed. 😊
“If you always try to get to the top, then you never get to bottom of nothin’.”
— A million country songs, amongst the one song I’m dying to find, but probably never will!
Confidence I Can Avoid Consuming This Month
20%
This month, I made the biggest purchase of my life. I can’t help but wonder if my time spent in boredom, allowing space for clarity, led to the decisiveness that finally brought a long-held dream to life. Since 2018, my partner and I have talked about buying land. Whether this counts as mindful consumption or not, I’ll let you decide.
One theory? When you strip away the excess and focus on what truly matters, you make space for the bigger dreams. Even though this dream involved a major purchase, I am not sure we would have had the confidence to take the leap if we hadn’t first let go of unnecessary distractions.
That said, I am heading into March with a bruised ego. I caved. The cutest nail clippers [a momma and bay, rose gold fish set!] and a few clipboards for an upcoming project found their way into my cart. They are on my inventory sheet and will be put to good use. Still, a slip.
March Decision Madness
Last month, I shared how the noise had shifted. I finally found a routine that truly serves me, not just one that checks the box of being a responsible adult, but one that actually speaks to me. Mornings now start with intention. I wake up to a song that prompts a kiss for my husband, slip into my robe, make tea, and climb back into bed to steep in the warmth of the moment. No chores, no rushing, just time to exist before the day unfolds.
At the end of last month’s blog, I encouraged you to build a small morning routine of your own and to take yourself on two dates. The idea was simple: when life feels uncertain or overwhelming, give yourself space. Not to solve or plan, but simply to be with yourself. Here’s what I learned from mine.
Date #1: A Walk With My Wandering Mind
I went into my first date feeling restless. My mind was tangled in questions. Where is my career going? What even is a career worth in this political climate? Why do we place so much value on what people do for money? But I knew this was a day to let those thoughts go. So, I took myself to the woods.
The hike through Moose Mountain was exactly what I needed. No commitments, no pressure, just fresh air and movement. My mind wandered, but the trees did not demand an answer. The sun was too warm to hold onto stressful thoughts, and the next bend in the trail kept me moving forward.
Date #2: Revisiting My Past Self
For my second date, I drove to a café where I used to work. Sitting in that familiar space, I let myself reflect, not in a nostalgic or longing way, but as an observer of how I have grown. I journaled. I drank my coffee slowly. I took myself to the sauna afterward. There was no to-do list and no pressure to be productive. Just a chance to exist in my own company.
What Came From Time With Myself? Clarity.
Here is where things got interesting. I had no agenda going into these dates, but they left me with something unexpected: a renewed sense of decisiveness.
Since 2018, Jared and I have dreamed about buying land, a place to bring our family’s skills together. My dad is an architect and carpenter. Jared’s parents are a master gardener and a renowned horticulturalist with work in the Smithsonian. It was a beautiful idea, but for years, it remained just that, a dream.
Until now.
By early February, conversations with family became more serious. By the end of the month, we were making an offer. The space we had given ourselves to slow down created the mental clarity to move forward.
March: What Came From Your Time With Yourself?
I am not saying that taking yourself on a couple of solo dates will lead you to make a life-changing decision. That is not the point. The point is to leave space. Let yourself get bored. Let your mind wander without an agenda. See what shows up.
Even if nothing major surfaced for you, take a moment to reflect. Did you notice anything different about how you react to stress? How you handle dissatisfaction?
For me, I noticed I was more attuned to the stress around me. A loved one recently shared their weekend plans, the same old routine, obligations, and responsibilities. Before, I would have simply sympathized. This time, I found myself pushing them to shake things up. What if you skipped laundry for just one weekend? What if you tacked your grocery run onto your drive home and freed up your day? What if you walked a different route, just for the sake of change?
They were not open to it. But that is not the point. The point is, I was.
So, what about you? What did your time with yourself reveal?
Deep Dive
MONTH 3 INFLUENCES
Trying forever to find the song with the lyrics in this months’ quote. Leon Bridges? It’s gonna follow me to my grave.
