Balancing Act

Happy Friday!

This week has been pretty fantastic. Monday brought with it a new month and another chance for a new beginning. And so I seized it. And I've been loving the results.

-I've been writing every day. Once Charlie goes down for his morning nap, I give myself a 30 minute opportunity. I start with a mini journal entry, to kind of check in on myself and see how I'm doing. From there I consult my blue idea folder and just start writing on the topics that I've collected over the years but haven't done anything with. Some days I've skipped the blue folder and have just written about things that weigh heavily on my mind.

And so I have pages and pages of writing, and honestly I don't care if it's good or not. I'm just happy that I'm doing this again. I had forgotten how good it feels just to write for myself, without an audience, without hope that someone will read it and be able to relate to it.

-Charlie has taken all of his naps in his crib since last Friday, except for one, but that's because we were out and about during his naptime. Honestly, this has taken so much weight off me. I no longer have to tiptoe around the house because he fell asleep in some random room. And because he's napping in his crib now, his naps are longer, which gives us more structure to our days. It is, by and large, a wonderful thing.

-I've been exercising. Every other day, after Charlie's second nap, I load him up in the stroller and we take a walk up the mountain. The walk is tough, especially with a stroller, but every time I make it, I give myself a huge mental high five. It feels so fucking great to be out in nature and breathing in some fresh air. (Let's forget for a moment how smoggy it is out here.)

So this week was really great. I know all weeks aren't going to be like this one, but it's nice that they have the potential to be. I love that I'm taking care of my baby boy, but that I'm also taking care of me. I feel, for the first time in months, that I'm thriving, because I am making room for other important things in my life, like writing and exercise. This means that our house is pretty much not clean the way I'd like it to be, and some things just aren't getting done - there simply aren't enough hours in the day, honestly - but I like to think that the really important things are happening.

For now, I feel as though I've found a balance, and even though it can be (and will be) interrupted many, many times, I love knowing that I have the power to reclaim it.