In June, I began using a Franklin Covey planner to start sorting out my life and prioritizing what is important.
I was having a hard time getting myself back after my battle with cancer and didn't feel like a human being. It was awful!
So, I decided to make a list of what I needed to do to make me feel like a human woman once again.
It wasn't a super long list, just a few things about my skin, hair, spiritual self and my environment in general.
I began by starting my Clinique routine back up and taking vitamins along with a shower and nightly routine. This helped my self esteem.1
I also realized that my life was better off as a Catholic woman and began to read a devotional starting in October.
Yesterday marked the beginning of the Catholic year with Advent, so I started a daily Advent devotional and going back to Mass. I am adding the Rosary and the Divine Mercy as well.
I also started challenges on this app called Hallow, a Catholic app devoted to all things Catholic from Advent challenges to daily devotions, Mass readings, prayer and music. I love this site. I can also schedule the things that I have saved to do on the app.
I have been re-reading and blogging about Outlander since October. I miss the books and the time I have had with Diana Gabaldon in the last few years. I should have created an Outlander blog here, but I had a friend who started one for the show about ten year ago then bailed on me so I use it now. It would be to hard to transfer everything and create a new one on Blogger now.
It has been a wonderful time re-reading this series, I have missed being inside the books so much! It took a year to read the newest novel, Go Tell The That I Am Gone. I was savoring it because I know that it will take her a long time to write book 10. I had forgotten a lot of the novels by the time Bees came out so I decided to re-read them in succession.
I have created an Outlander themed Christmas and am starting on my Outlander Knitting books. I have been buying yarn and preparing to make a lot of the items from the show. I plan to re-watch all of Outlander on my DVDs or on Starz while I am knitting.
A few months ago, I learned to sew. My aunt and mom taught me. I love it! I am going to get my own sewing machine and materials so that I can make my own clothing and learn to quilt. I made a dress as my first project and it turned out great! I had tried sewing in my Home Ec class in high school and I liked it, but back then I had other things that were more interesting so I didn't continue on with it. I am glad that I re-learned.
Another old passion of mine came back to me recently too...embroidery. I used to like it a lot, but lost interest for various reasons, so I am now taking it back up and enjoying every moment of it.
My next thing is to learn how to make sourdough bread, regular bread, can my own foods and cook new types of food from my Outlander Kitchen books. I do like to cook and bake, but I it is sometimes hard when you live alone and don't have anyone to share it with.
As I am aging, I am getting more and more into crafts and reading. I am also baking and cooking more in the last year than I have in my entire life. I don't know why, but I am more content staying home and doing these things.
I am also more content going to Mass and reading my Bible.
I decided that most of the New Testament passages would make more sense if I read the Old Testament in succession so that I understand what had gone before, so I began reading the Bible from cover to cover. I am in Deuteronomy right now.
I have already begun to decide on what my New Year's resolutions will be.
Since I started making the list of who and what I need to be and what I need to do to get back to being me, I have found this method to be very effective and productive in how I do things.
I am also re-reading Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey, the man who started the planners and the seminars on how to get the most out of yourself and your work. I read this book years ago and most of it had sank in, but I never stuck with it, I am going to now.
It seems like I am doing lot for myself recently, but with my 55th birthday coming up in January, I feel like I need to get myself back and to live better than I have in recent years.
I am also on an app called Modern Prairie that was created by Melissa Gilbert who played Laura Ingalls Wilder on Little House On The Prairie. The app is for women over 4o+. It is a bit of a social media without the accompanying garbage that you see on Facebook and other social sites. It is a safe place for us to share our daily lives, encourage each other, share projects and recipes, pray for each other and make us laugh.
Modern Prairie is also a company that sells things like clothing, cooking and baking things, crafts and other things that help us to continue on. The site also has events for all kinds of things, from reading to cooking to life. It is a really lovely place to spend time, learn things and make friends.
1 have all the seasons of Little House On The Prairie and have been re-reading the books too. I loved the books, but never saw every episode of Little House, so I bought the DVDs and the books for fun. I love it! It's been very inspiring with my crafts and baking.
I am so excited about how things are progressing lately. I no longer feel down about things. From being Catholic to doing crafts, reading, my planner and learning new things, I feel like I have more energy and a more positive attitude on life. I am looking forward to adding new things to my 2025 year and living with a newer purpose. I may help my mom and sister with their quilting business and maybe get my license back...who knows, the new year will be full of new surprises.
Have a blessed day!
-Karol
