March: Balance

Since today is the last day of March, I thought I should post something about my monthly word :)
Well...I thought a few times about how my word was balance...but I didn't do a whole lot of study or thinking about it.  I was mildly consumed thinking about our move.  Consumed...isn't this the opposite of balance?
You would think so I guess, but all sorts of things were going on in March.

I was still simplifying (or: taking 12 boxes to goodwill) and I finally got some help with my kids so I could clean up the house in a big way.  This was great for me and for the last 3 weeks I've had a really clean kitchen and kept up with the dishes in the sink.  Unfortunately, today they are piled back up.  I don't think we are going to list our house for sale until after we actually leave it, so this has become less critical.  But I really enjoyed the spring cleaning being finished, because I spent less time overall cleaning every evening and therefore felt more, that's right, balanced

I cut back on work, actually fed the missionaries one night, and went to an SCA meeting.  I had a sewing afternoon.

When I was working on Simplify (and reading Organized Simplicity) she talks about making a list.  One is all of the things you'd like to be doing.  Read a book, play with your kids, write a letter, whatever they are.  Then she said to make a list of all of the things you actually do every day.  Work on it until you are sick of it.  EVERYTHING.  Get up, eat breakfast, change a diaper, feed others, take a shower, dress everyone and on and on.  Then she talks about cutting back on things that are unnecessary.  Obviously you are not going to NOT change diapers, but maybe, in making your list, you realized that you watch 2 hours of television a day.  And television is not on your 'I wish I was doing this list'  So you can decide to cut it out, or a least, cut it back.  Maybe watch a favorite show.

This is probably my long term goal for being Balanced and being Simplified. To fit in a few more things that I enjoy.   But, tomorrow is April which starts the month of:  Gratitude.