Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Getting My Momentum Back



Tuesday I had a lovely breakfast with Kristi who understands grieving from her own path of suffering. She is giving back however. She and her husband have taken in the husband's disabled sister and twenty-something Kristi is making the best of the situation, gradually getting her momentum back. Kristi shared Scripture with me that has helped her and suggested after discipline (doing things she didn't have the momentum to do) the feelings of wanting to take care of her home and sister-in-law came back. Here we were two women almost fifty years in age difference relishing how the LORD is helping us.

Even though it is hard, it is time I get my momentum back after being a caregiver and becoming a widow. Thankful I am able-bodied. START and the spunk will come back.













Here are my 15 momentum starter strategies and things I am thankful for: 
  1. Rejoining Weight Watchers. Food still can be fun. I am in no way perfect with my diet, but enjoy the 7 am Weight Watcher group I am in. 
  2. Studying my sleep patterns with the Weight Watchers Active Link.Planning 30 minute naps. See HERE
  3. Having a week off to get things done (November 24-28) and to be there for Sally whose car is in the shop. 
  4. Getting on the treadmill. Walked on the cruise and three miles at the Alzheimer's Association WALK TO END ALZHEIMER'S.
  5. Having yard sales and very conscious of what still needs to leave the house to be able to downside for a move maybe sometime in the next ten years. Meanwhile trying to take care of business at the house including home repairs. 
  6. Writing raps again. After a year of not writing raps, finally wrote one and am testing it out when I substitute teach. The topic, "children having children", was a suggestion from an 18-year-old high school boy. He wanted someone to speak up on this topic.  The students so far like it. Meanwhile very shortly ten of my recorded raps will be on YouTube to add to the other three videos. 
  7. Taking the anti-depressant Paxil every three days now instead of daily as at the start. In December I will not take this anti-depressant. 
  8. Giving back. I daily email other caregivers. I am tutoring Esteban. 
  9. Taking time for others. Went to a movie with another widow recently. 
  10. Making a list of what I am thankful for and telling people. Went out and thanked my mail lady Connie. 
  11. Planning ahead for Christmas. 
  12. Keeping a ridged budget and attempting to refinance the house so I can pay off credit cards.  
  13. Arranging my workspace for the dissertation on caregiving. Started working on it again after months of doing nothing on it. 
  14. Being able to clean the floors. (My husband used to do this for the first years of our marriage and it has been hard for me emotionally to do it.)
  15. Making progress with managing grief and being thankful. 

4 comments:

  1. I liked reading this, Carol, because it showed how you are starting to regroup and move on, though you will always miss your hubby. I like your START and the spunk will come back. That is so true. You sometimes just need to take baby steps and make the effort to get out and do slowly but surely. There is a lot to be thankful for every year and every day; we just have to take the time to do so :)

    Happy Thanksgiving!

    betty

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Happy Thanksgiving, also, Betty. So grateful for you.

      Hugs,
      Carol

      Delete
  2. I think you do an amazing job of picking yourself up and getting going daily! :) very inspiring.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mary, so glad we both share that sustaining faith in our LORD.

      Hugs and prayers,
      Carol

      Delete