Psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler Ross on how beautiful people are made:
“The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.”
Source: Death: The Final Stage of Growth
May is a tough month for me for it is filled with memories that are both beautiful and heartbreaking. May brings the anniversary of my mother’s cancer diagnosis, the anniversary of her surgery, and the anniversary of her death. It also brings Mother’s Day, her birthday, and Memorial Day – one of her favorite holidays. This quote speaks to me because it reminds me that suffering, struggle, loss – and the recovery from those spaces – brings appreciation, sensitivity, gentleness, and a deep awareness for those around you. While I still grieve the loss of a life cut short and miss her deeply, I am tremendously thankful to have had her for as long as I did — and I am thankful to have learned so many life lessons from her as an adult and mother.
01: Get 6 – 7 Hours of Sleep Each Night {Status: 133/140}
Lots of early mornings (with lengthy to-do lists) led to lots of early nights. Zzz!
02: Learn Calligraphy
I’m considering just letting this one go. How does one find time?
03: Purge 1000 items {Status: 760/1000}
My youngest daughter cleaned out her dresser – and 47 items left her room! I finally purged the bathroom closet with an embarrassing 85 items leaving. Why do I hold on to things that I obviously do not need?
04: Organize the Attic
No progress in this area this week.
05: Read 100 Books, including ALL of the DBC books. {Status: 22/100}
I am woefully behind schedule on my reading…and I’m not sure if the summer will provide me to the space to catch up?
In Progress
(1) Radical Candor | Scott {Professional Growth}
(2) Culturally Responsive School Leadership | Khalifa {Professional Growth}
(3) Hacking Questions {Professional Growth}
(4) The Ethics of Leadership | Ciulla {Professional Growth}
(5) Coaching for Equity | Aguilar {Book Study, Professional Growth}
Complete:
Pleasure Reading: 23 books.
06: Try 52 New Recipes {Status: 09/52}
My kitchen stayed very clean this week…primarily because I did not use it.
07: Get in Shape
While I do feel more physically fit, the scale or the way that my clothes fit does not seem to be moving. I probably need to do some work in the kitchen. Here are some specific action steps that I took this week:
Spring challenge continues this week. I’m enjoying a 70 day streak!
For another week, I closed the Activity Ring every. single. day. There is something quite satisfying about these silly little rings!
I wrapped up Step Bet and won a few dollars. Now, I’m juggling two – which, is still a great motivator to get my daily steps *and* win a little cash!
08: #OneMonthGoals with Michael Matera
Last year, I joined Michael Matera on his #OneMonthGoals journey. I ran every single day for a month – and it was glorious. This year, I am committed to selecting (and sticking with) one new goal each month, which I will document here.
January 2021: Day 31 of my Run Streak! {Done!}February 2021: Track my meals on Lose It App {28/28}March 2021: Select and maintain a proper skin care routine! {31/31}
April 2021: Collagen Repair {9/9} + Coach to 5K! {30/30}
May 2021: Personal Development {23/23}
For May, I have decided to invest in my personal growth every day for 30 minutes.
09: Write/Send 52 notes/cards {Status: 78/52: Done!}
10: Maintain a weekly blog {18/52}
Here I am!
11: Simplify my life
This week was the crazinest week that I have experienced in a LONG time. Between several work emergencies and projects, we are prepping for the End of the Year (which is always a LOT of work with a long list of little things that are easy to forget)! Plus, this weekend brought Prom for *both* of my girls (and all of the things that accompany Prom like hair, nails, flowers, photos, dinner, dates, After-Prom… And, this weekend, we flipped two beach houses, landscaped three houses, housesat for a friend, chuaffeured a wedding, and graduated from a graduate microcreditional program. Wowsers. I’m tired.
12: Organize my mother’s photographs {475 scanned}
I did not touch this. Ooops.
Secret Goals!
- Secret Goal #1: This one is about 1/3 complete! Cinderblocks arrived this week!
- Secret Goal #2: Parts of this one were assembled this week…
- Secret Goal #3: I have sketched out a paper/pencil plan for this…
- Secret Goal #4: I might just switch this one…
How are your goals going?
Cheers, Holly