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Holiday Juggling

I have never been able to figure out if I am an extrovert or an introvert.

If you know me personally, you probably think right away, "She's an extrovert!". But as much as I love people, and gatherings; I love, love, love being at home. I love being here with my people, watching movies, playing board games, just existing, together at home. It's my favorite. 

So when I have running around to do, it can get stressful for me. I can quickly feel overwhelmed, constantly picking up one kid, dropping off another, going to town and back again several times a day. And when things are scheduled on a Sunday, my tolerance level peaks out. I like my Sundays to rest, reset, and breathe. 

This month I do not have a single Sunday that will be spent at home. 

I am dreading it already. I want to curl up and cry. I want to stomp my feet and say, "No, No, No". I want to put on my pajamas and Christmas music, lock the door and pout. 

But since that does not appear to be an option, I am trying to manage the best I can and look for the silver lining. 

Here are two small things that I have been doing to keep the chaos from taking over. 

Bullet Journaling  This is not the crazy, doodling, over eccentric version that you see on Pinterest. This video discusses using a  practical, all in one notebook to organize and schedule all the busy-ness. I've only been doing it for a month, and I already swear by it! 

Short daily devotion I'll admit, I am a failure at reading a daily devotion, but I also know for a fact that on the days that I do read it, it changes my perspective and puts me in a much better mindset. 

There is no magic key. Life can be overwhelming. I am doing both of the things listed above and I still feel like a swirling mess on some days, but at least it's only somedays, and not everyday! I still managed to schedule a church Christmas party at the same time and same day as my daughters school Christmas program. I will not be winning any organization awards, but only one hiccup (so far) feels like a triumph with the schedule I am trying to balance lately!

I use my journal as more of a planner, to write my To Do List's, my notes from various meetings, and shopping lists. It just helps to have it in one notebook, rather than scattered around on various scrap papers like I had before. The biggest thing for me is the index at the beginning. It's the simplest thing and a life changer as far as being able to find my notes for a particular topic. 

I still use my calendar on my phone, and set alerts for upcoming programs, snack days, special events, meetings, etc, but I also write down the notes for those things in my bullet journal. I like having something tangible that I can grab and jot down whatever I am thinking about and not have to worry about forgetting my idea or train of thought. And good grief, that train threatens to de-rail a hundred times a day!

Enjoy the holiday season, it'll be over before we know it, and then its just cold and January! I'm off to tackle some of my To Do's while the babies sleep!



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