I felt as if I had found my groove over the past couple of months. I was faithfully walking my dogs in the early am. I would come home and do a few chores and work on a minimalist project. My step count was increasing weekly (love my FitBit) and I was losing weight, per doctors' orders, slowing but surely. Now I have order to rest for 10 days. It turns out all my productive steps were doing serious damage to my feet. I am on a 21 day round of steroids with lots of tlc protocols to follow for healing.
The hardest part of this forced slow down is the amount of help I must ask for from my family. Thankfully they are understanding and supportive. So I must ask myself, why am I so uncomfortable with asking for help when it is so willingly given in response each time? Honestly? It's because I have yet to minimize the amount of things for which I feel responsible. My gut says it my job, I'm taking advantage of my loved ones by asking for help, stop being lazy.
A minimalist house does not stay clean simply because it has minimal stuff in it. It still takes effort, far less than before I started this journey, but effort still. In this reflective moment I must say how much I love my family. They have embraced my "personal" minimalist movement and made the journey so enjoyable with their praise of my progress and honoring my efforts. They do not see it as "my job" or "taking advantage" of them and let me know I am far from "being lazy."
Why I would listen to my gut, which clearly has issues because it is a Celiac, could be viewed as slightly off. I need to be listening to my loved ones. I need to find that inner voice of Grace that I know exists. Let's tune into Grace and see what she has to say:
Hey Wonderwoman! It's me, Grace. You've been doing a great job setting and meeting your goals lately and I'm so proud of all your progress. I've noticed you being hard on yourself lately and I'd like to assure you, you are still Wonderwoman. Taking care of yourself is the hardest thing for you to do, next to letting others take care of you. Your goals are different, but none less important. You will get back to walking in time. There's no rush right now. You are not weak. You are not a failure. You're freaking Wonderwoman! Got it? Now sit back and enjoy the show of the life you have created: a loving, supportive family, good friends, cozy home, & your fur-babies.
Ann, I am a friend of Cindy and I have been reading your post most every day for the last few months. This one really hit me at home. I have to talk to myself on a regular basis Because I have felt kind of down lately. I think as mothers and grandmothers and women we constantly are put on guilt trips. If others are not putting our stuff on these guilt trips Then we are doing so are so Ourself. I think Heavenly Father Would much rather than instead of attacking our houses and letting them become perfect That we would just spend a little time with him, And We are self reflected through his eyes and the love that he has for us.. I think it takes a special kind of woman to turn off the messages that we give ourselves and instead or less than love shine through. I really enjoy your blog. Before I moved a few months ago, I really spent a lot of time sorting and purging. I love my new place and I have never been this organized in my life. I have found At age 60 That I'd love to organize it is a form of free-flowing creativity from me. Thank you for all your comments and your good advice. Thank you for all your comments in your good times
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