This past week of settling back into life in Shirati has been wonderful. Coming home has encouraged me to use the fresh start of a new season to work on some bad habits that have developed in my life. I have three themes (not really resolutions, more like slogans) for 2013: No excuses. Work hard. Energy. I am essentially trying to get rid of the weed of laziness in my life by tackling three different "roots" at once. Here's what these themes mean to me:
No Excuses: My dad used to say "Excuses are like armpits: everybody has two of them and they both stink." A major obstacle in my life is trying to live up to others' expectations, or perceived expectations, of me. When I fall short of what others expect from me, I am very quick to come up with a reason I have failed or disappointed. These excuses have heavily tinged my professional, personal and family life, and they're just plain ugly. Enough of them! Either I live up to standards (mine and/or others') or I don't and I live with that without blaming other people or circumstances.
Work Hard: This one is a little obvious, perhaps, but I keep reminding myself to apply myself to the tasks that need to be done, rather than Pinterest or television. I treat myself to a nap or an hour of reading or 15 minutes of online browsing, but those are exceptions. I'm trying to cut back on multi-tasking, aside from the essential multi-tasking of keeping an eye on my kids while working, so that I can dedicate as much as possible of my time and attention to getting things done.
Energy: One of the best books I've read in several years is
Happier at Home by Gretchen Rubin. One of the things she talks about in her book is how acting in an energetic way (jumping up and down or other activity) makes one feel more energetic. I'm trying to incorporate this into my life, not through jumping, per se, but by choosing to be active even when I feel tired. I engage in a task that I enjoy, like organizing photos, when I find my energy flagging, rather than giving up because I don't feel like working anymore.
I'm interested in feedback you might have on these themes. Also, what themes do you have for 2013?
We had picked Innocent up from school on our way through Kenya, so he was with us all week, and has mastered the use of our new camera, a gift from a family on our support team. Here are a few of the pictures he took around our house:
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| Front Door |
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| Living Room |
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| Front Yard |
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| Fred and Wesley on Back Porch |
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| Back Yard |
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| Side of the House |
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| Neighbors |
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| Wesley *almost* Walking |
2 comments:
Thanks for sharing Leisha - we are praying for your family as you guys settle back in.
And Innocent has some great talent with the Camera! I think he should have a regular "guest" section on your blog of his photos! :-)
Thanks, Dan! I didn't edit it his photos at all, although I did choose not to post the four photos of one of Fred's feet. I was telling Fred that Inno has a great eye, and it's too bad he'll be in school when the Media team comes, or I'd try to get Will to give him some little lessons. Since Fred and I are terrible about taking pictures, it's good to know someone in our family enjoys it!
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