I finally found the time to plant the baby oak we’ve been nursing the past weeks. Everyday life is sometimes overwhelming and in a way, I’m glad of it. And it’s because it’s only much of what I want to do. I’m getting sort of an improvement at my work so I need to put some time outside from work to better myself and it’s a big enrichment. I am in a painting-chair-project (which involves the whole family when you live in an apartment), we just came back from a travel in France and we just had my sister and family at our place for the weekend. You see, life is full of energy!

The trick is to be present in each phase and don’t think if the coming while being in another one. Then, you’ll miss the present one and increase your stress. I let my life grow like my little oak: patiently and full of improvements!

I noticed that the way I start my day conditions a lot the rest of this same day. Nowadays, I use to listen to french radio for the news and then music. When it’s my turn to take Z at school, I try to make her laugh as much as I can. Not always easy, but it gaves her a chance to see the day in a positive way.

Sometimes, in life, you get opportunities. Just take them! Choose your seat!

I’m travelling with my daughter to visit friends and relatives. This is both exciting and a challenge. Z, who is 21 months old, discovers a lots of new things every day and refuses to sleep during the days. She doesn’t want to miss anything at all.

We visited the botanical garden in Tours this morning and saw these flamingos, who were taking care of their pink clothes. They were so delicate and applicated, it was pure Zen to watch. They know that they need to put some time on maintenance to shine later. That’s the same with Z and her sleep, she doesn’t know it but some sleep during the day makes the afternoon even more exciting. And that’s the same with us adults. For me, to meet my old friends and family and change environment is a part of taking care of myself. We need to calm down sometime on order to achieve better. Not more, but better. These people we meet during our travel are good to talk with. I literally took some distance from my stress and calm down. The discussions I have with people around help me to sort things out, which I rarely do when I’m in my routines. This makes me good.

Of course, we are missing our husband and dad but we will come back calmer and stronger.

When did you take care of yourself the last time?

Wednesday at home with Z. Until Xmas, I’m one day at home per week with Z and today is a great one! We woke up around 8, ate a calm breakfast, fixed a little at home before to go and buy groceries. We stopped by the park on our way home and did swing and observe.

We saw a big bubblebee flying around heavily and exploring her surroundings for food I guess. Its flight was very heavy and slow and I guess it was the proof of a long and well lived life (at its scale).

Somehow, it’s a good metaphor: even if your flight is heavy and slow, you shall never stop explore your surroundings. I often get stucked in thoughts like “think how big the world is and I’m still living in the same place” but happiness and excitement is closer than I think. There is something to make from everything, just around the corner.

Just keep doing it, explore, like the bubblebee!

Monday evening on Earth.

It’s becoming very dark early nowadays in Sweden, so it’s easy to pick up the phone or the computer instead of going outside and take a run. Well, I can say that I run a lot when it’s lighter, but I don’t even feel the same “urge” to start up Netflix and watch series.

But! If you have to start a screen, I can recommend you to watch Better call Saul , a spin off of Breaking bad. We watched BB a way back in time in Linköping. Att the beginning, I thought it was a bit slow but then, it became totally crazy in a good way. Better call Saul is great! I just want to watch again BB but it’s too much seasons. But there is so much dark evenings to come…

Saturday on Earth. It has been a week with a lots of work, but I managed to reflect as well. It’s not always easy to do when the to-do-list is long but it’s very important for me to know where I’m heading to.

Yesterday afternoon, while we still were at work, my husband and I received a message from some friends who invited us for dinner the same evening. Think: we, small children parents, would within some hours only, put our normal Friday evening upside down to enjoy some nice company. Z did not understand why she would have clothes instead of pyjamas after her shower and why we would go out, but when we arrived at our friends place, she saw her little friend and she forgot all the unusual. They are now big enough to play on their own, but they are not playing together yet.

We, parents, talked about life since we last met and somehow, it’s very comforting to share everyday life small troubles with otherd to realize that everyone has the same situations to deal with.

I really appreciated the evening and around 21, we took the bus back home. We jumped into the first buss coming around and made a whole trip in the city. We closed the evening with walk in the dark and I got this reflexion:

Even if it seems dark all around, there is always a little bit of light to show you the way.

So it is! Even if it’s hard sometimes to make things work, there is always something to learn about it and you can grow from it.

Even if the past weeks were not easy, I’m thankful for the experiences, from which I’ve becoming bigger. The only shadow I see right now is that my body may signal me that I need to be careful: I got some signs of shingles I need to take seriously. Rest on the program.

Do you see the light when you’re in the dark?

Today, at work, I made something unusual. I talked in front of 500 People. I was a bit nervous about it but prepared. When it was time for me to climb on the stage, I felt calm and I think I made an ok prestation. Afterwards, I felt really tired, but happy!

So go sometimes outside from your comfort zone, you will be astonished!

The routine is taking us down on Earth every day of the week here. Groundhog day. You know, alarm, news on the radio, bathroom, breakfast, teeth brushing, transportation to preschool / work, work, transportation back home, fixing dinner, eating dinner, cleaning after dinner (not to underestimate with a 21 months old at home), bathroom, pyjamas, book reading or play, news on the TV, girl in the bed, one hour of TV watching while knitting and saying through the door “sleep now, you’ll swing tomorrow”, going to bed, wanting to scroll more but deciding not to switch your filter off, listening to a podcast and sleeping after 3 minutes. This is about it every day of the week. I want to put some exercise in my weeks and more creativity but it asks planning (and motivation bigger than just ideas).

So why wouldn’t I let myself grow? I keep on thinking I could do something creative during my free time but it always ends with “no-time-excuse”. Why actually? Isn’t it important enough to me? What do I want to do during my last years on Earth? (Yesh, even if they may be several, they still are my last years on here).

When did you let yourself grow last time?