May was a bit of a whirlwind. This is probably only the tip of the iceberg in terms of lessons this crazy month had to teach me. If I listed them all we’d be here all day, so here are the most pertinent things I learned in May:
- That I’m glad I did Whole30–it actually taught me a lot of things about my health and eating habits, too many to mention here–but paleo as a lifestyle isn’t for me.
- That I can work on two books simultaneously, as long as they’re in vastly different stages, and as long as I don’t also try to blog.
- That I can make word count on my novel and write an entire freelance article on the same day.
- That I shouldn’t try to do that too many days in a row.
- That nonfiction and fiction are very different in terms of how agents get signed and publishing deals get made. A lot more work (i.e, actually writing the entire book) is typically required up front in Ficlandia.
- That the nursing staff on the cardiac floor of Hillcrest South is pure awesome. Ask me how I know.
- That there is a fist-sized hole in our roof, courtesy of a fallen limb.
- That we’re surrounded by awesome neighbors.
- That Ben & Jerry’s dairy-free ice cream is creamy and delicious.
- That God is faithful and his ever-present provision never ceases to amaze me. The way He came through for us and held us up during the tougher and scarier events of this month served as a much-needed reminder of that.
What did YOU learn this May, friend (and can you believe it’s June already? Where is the year going?) Tell us about your own May lessons in the comments!
In love,
PS – I’m linking up this week with Emily P. Freeman, Holley Gerth and Missional Women. Check them out for encouragement and more May reflections!
PPS – Do you know about my newsletter? I send out Daydreamer Dispatches about twice a month. It’s a little more personal, a little more intimate, a little more silly — a place to share the things going on in my life that don’t quite fit on this blog. If you sign up, you’ll get a special, super-sekrit link to my Absolute Must-Have, Can’t Live Without Tools & Resources page! Click the image below to subscribe!
This is awesome thank you for sharing!!
God has shown me a lot about myself in May and has helped me to overcome fear and anxiety, among other things . So grateful!
Hi Allie! Thanks for dropping by. Sounds like you had an amazing month!
Jean, I’m your neighbor at Coffee for Your Heart. I hope things are ok concerning your trip to the hospital whether for yourself or a loved one. It’s not much fun when we’re going through “stuff,” but so good to know that God is faithful in the midst of it all!
My May lessons … your post made me stop and think. The first thing that comes to mind is God’s faithfulness, even though that’s not a new lesson. Also, that some things just take time! That grandkids grow up faster than your own children, if that’s possible. I’m sure there are more, but that’s what comes to mind.
I’m glad to “meet” you. Blessings!
Hi Donna! Things are okay now–bit of a scare with my husband. Turns out his heart’s plumbing is fine but the electrical system needed some help to run right.
You’re right that God’s faithfulness isn’t a new lesson, but it’s one I keep needing a refresher course on.
Hope you’re able to enjoy those grandkids. Glad you dropped by!
Hi, I’m your neighbor at Emily Freeman’s linkup! I’ve not tried the Whole 30 but my daughter and her family do it every year. I’ve learned that it is possible to start a new blog in a completely different setting than my first one. Of course I’m still learning. God is also continuing to teach me that my house doesn’t need to be clutter free before I have company as we had a wonderful visit from a family on Memorial Day. Blessings to you!
Hi Gayl! Ohmigosh, I SO hear you on the clutter thing. God’s been dealing with me in that area, too. I’ve always let it be a major obstacle to inviting people over.
Sounds like you’ve had an educational May! Thanks for dropping by!
You had quite a month! Kudos on those writing goals and also recognizing the need for a little rest from the hectic pace. A good work-rest balance is so important!
Thanks, Kelly! Yes, I’m learning the hard way to leave myself some margin after too many years of burnout.
do you write down things like this every month? if so, I think that’s a great idea! I’ve heard of writing down a single thing to be grateful for every day for 3 months and have done that. Makes you look for things to be grateful for. Think I might need to start back up… maybe doing what you did here to… coalescing lessons into a neat “Top 10” a great way to help you see what happened, learn from the good, bad and appreciating what seems insignificant.
Hi Karen! Actually, Emily P. Freeman started the monthly “What I Learned” linkup — you can follow the link to her linkup at the end of this post and find a ton of other lists like this one. I just started participating in April (and then I skipped May). Hopefully I’ll manage to be more consistent from here on out.
I keep a gratitude journal . . . sometimes (speaking of being more consistent). I don’t tend to do it as often when things are going well, but when I start to get too focused on my circumstances or feel depression trying to weigh me down, I make myself write down a gratitude list daily, and it really helps my perspective and attitude.
Thanks for dropping by!