"A Great Day" ~ Final Observations

It's time to call my little experiment "complete"!

I am sure the things I realized are things I already knew, and things Rick has observed in me in the past. But, I am someone who doesn't like to be told what to do, and I tend to have to learn lessons the hard way. This was no exception.

Here are my observations:

1. If I have a list, I count it as failure if I don't complete it.

2. I am way to hard on myself to achieve perfection and I let that affect my mood.

3. If I do not get up and run in the mornings, and especially if I sleep in, my entire day is thrown off and I have no motivation.

4. If I do get up and run, and do my morning schedule, I am energized the rest of the day and tend to get a lot done!

5. In an attempt to complete my list I put relationships on the back burner, and even make family members frustrated with me! (i.e. in my attempt to get the dusting done on Wednesday, I was snapping at Kyndal and all she wanted to do was sit with me and watch a new show she has started watching. She got mad, I got mad. She came in for a second attempt to get me to watch it. I did. It's what I should have done to start with. The dusting can wait.)

6. I have realized which things on my list are really important to me and which things don't need to be ...

a. The important things: Getting up to run in the mornings, reading my Bible before I start blogging, getting my blogging time in before everybody gets up in the morning, taking the opportunities to do something for myself each day if the opportunity arises, trying to eat as healthy as possible during the day, getting my nightly stuff done early and trying to get the kids to bed by 9:00 so I can spend some time with Rick in the evenings.

b. The non-important things: Getting my housework done, making myself fill every day with "something meaningful" with the kids when just hanging out at home and spending time together is just as meaningful to them sometimes, following my list to the extreme and feeling like a failure if I don't get it done, being crazy about the dinner time meal when sometimes it's okay to just have a bowl of cereal or a grilled cheese because we've been busy all day.

7. Observations of my family: Rick thinks from reading my list that I have "conquered" my life here in Owasso and I am bored. (I think he might be right.) Kyndal thinks I am a grouch. I think Dawson has enjoyed the attention that the kids have been getting during the day. And Eli and Brynne really don't care as long as I'm around and they are getting fed.

8. My decisions regarding this: Get up and get my day moving because it sets the mood for the rest of my day, slow down and just spend time with the kids during the day (and don't worry about completing my list to the point that I forget they are there), try to provide the best for my family without being too hard on myself, DO get my nightly routine stuff done early (because I fizzle out in the evenings), sit down and spend time with my family, get everybody to bed as early as possible and end the day with my husband.

Really, what makes me the happiest is taking care of myself, taking time for myself and slowing down to enjoy the relationships with my family.

I am now done following my list. I know what I need to do.

What have you learned in doing your list?