The Definitive Guide to Not Having It All Together

Lately, I've been trying to Keep Up.

Everything online seems to scream at me that I need the clothes, the #aesthetic, the fitness journey, the picture-perfect blog. Meanwhile your girl just wants to wear her favorite thrift-store cardigan and continue her family Christmas movie marathon (We've watched Home Alone and Christmas with the Kranks, if you're curious. Elf is up next).

It can be so easy to fall into thoughts of comparison and appearance-obsession, because that's what the Internet seems to invite.

But all I want is to use it to create something great and honest, even if that means bowing out of the social media and numbers game. I don't know why I even think about those things. My end goal is not to have an explosive social media following. I just want to share my thoughts and have a genuine connection with people, even if it's only a few. To me, that means more. 

But yo, sometimes it's really tough.

This morning in my car, my hands raw from the cold as I scrolled through my phone's cracked screen, I thought randomly of 2nd Corinthians 12:9. "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness." That really made me feel at peace. Because lately I haven't been wanting to be weak, I've been trying to be strong. I've been pretty anxious. I totally forgot that the Lord wants me to be weak, because then He can be strong through me. I also thought about that verse James 4:6: "But He gives us more grace."

So it's completely fine to not have it all together.

Which is good, because I definitely don't. A little while ago I was thinking about giving up with this whole blogging thing; it was just getting me down. But when I have moments of stillness like this it re-centers me. I remember how much I enjoy connecting with a person over shared words and reading someone else's thoughts. I've loved having honest conversations with some of you over things on my The 25 Project blog, and it means a lot that even one person would care to read my words. That makes me smile.

What about you?

Do you ever feel like you have to have it all together or chase perfection? How do you combat the social media/blogging numbers game? PLEASE GIVE ME YOUR TIPS. And for fun, what is your favorite Christmas movie and/or treat? I'm in prime Christmas mode over here, my dudes. 🎅

Thanksgiving Day 2018

I wake up before dawn.

Somehow my body knows that this is what I want, to be awake before anything exciting happens. I always do this on holidays - on Christmas, my birthday. It's something about the thrill of it being a special day. I want to see the sun.

This Thanksgiving is no exception.

I wake before six, and already it is chilly, I can tell even when I'm still bundled in blankets. I get up, pull on a hoodie, run downstairs and out the door and down the block until four miles have gone by. The sky is soft with a smattering of clouds and Tom Odell is playing in my ear buds.

These are the things for which I am most thankful.

When my prayers turn to gratitude, I don't often thank the Lord for the big, grand things (though sometimes I do). Instead, I thank Him for sunrises, and cups of coffee with the morning paper, for my record collection and the smell of gingerbread body wash, and my daily bowl of oatmeal. For books.

Today is a sort of unusual Thanksgiving in that it is just my immediate family and I (mother, father, sister) gathering to share turkey instead of our whole extended family.

I won't see Lily or Edward or Curren or Kate or any of my little cousins, and I won't see my brother and his family out in Texas. It's been a rare day of lazing about as my family prepares food and we watch the parade and furtive bites of pie are nibbled.

I imagine Thanksgivings in the future when my sister and I and our husbands will meet up in cream-colored knit sweaters and cozy socks (COZY SOCKS!) for cups of coffee and pumpkin pie and an old John Hughes movie by the fireplace. This is my fantasy world, the future, but for now, I will be grateful. And eat all the pie!

What about you?

What has your Thanksgiving been like? Do you have any fun family traditions? What kinds of pie have you eaten today (I've had apple, pumpkin and chocolate mousse).

Monthly Wrap-Up: October 2018

October was a complete whirlwind of work, woodland drives and embracing any and everything pumpkin-related in a desperate attempt to
"make Fall happen."

And, glory be, it was actually cold enough towards the end of the month to break out the sweaters. At least for a few days. I swear, if every day was under 60°, I would feel at least 50% more inspired. There's something about Fall and a brisk breeze that makes me want to pull on a cardigan and write a story.

Even though Halloween wasn't very cold (though this didn't stop me from wearing combat boots), it was still a complete joy.

My family and I sat out on our porch and passed out candy to all the sweet kids in our neighborhood, and that familiar feeling of community and kindness filled my heart with joy.

I may be a Slytherin, but I am also a Certified Sappy Holiday Person, even on Halloween, so bear with me. But it was just so wonderful, sitting there in a rocking chair, handing out Snickers and Baby Ruths to superheroes and princesses and zombies. We even met people from Iceland who were visiting the States and celebrating their very first Halloween! My heart is full.

October Things:

The new twenty one pilots album; peaceful woodland walks; buying books from thrift stores; getting organized; meal prepping; writing by hand; making playlists; reading the Princess Diaries (sorry not sorry); pumpkin iced coffee; early morning runs; sushi; journaling.

What about you?

Tell me about your October! Did you dress up as anything special for Halloween? (I wore my costume above to work.) Leave me a fall song or book recommendation if you like.
I'm getting in the Thanksgiving spirit already!