12 Things I Learned This Winter

The real man smiles in trouble, gathers strength from distress, and grows brave by reflection – Thomas Paine

If you’ve been visiting the blog for a while, you know that I’ve adopted Emily P Freeman’s quarterly habit of reflection.  Reflection, in one form or another, has been a part of my journaling routine for years.  However, it’s only recently I felt the pull to share some of what I’m learning.

Paying attention to my life helps me to discern what’s working and what’s not.  I can see tangible evidence of growth, which is especially important in the hard seasons of life. So, in no particular order, here are 12 things I learned this winter.

Gift-giving often stresses me out.

This has become especially apparent since we moved overseas and now have to take the added step to mail the gifts we send.  Although I make a point to shop throughout the year, I find it hard to buy gifts for people – even people I know well.  Few things jump out at me and say, “I belong with so-and-so!” and I often feel like I’m adding to the physical clutter of life.

Never underestimate the power of cleaning your windows.

In recent years, putting away the Christmas decorations in January signals a time to clean and refresh.  Usually, I don’t do much, but this year, I rearranged furniture.  I used some of Myquillian Smith’s steps from her book Cozy Minimalist Home.  I cleared most things out of the living room, gave it some time to settle down, and rearranged the furniture.  But by far, the most noticeable change was after I cleaned our big picture windows.  I couldn’t stop staring at them.  Clearly I need to adopt this practice as a regular part of my cleaning routine.

Not all cheese naan is created equal.

In the past, when I’ve ordered cheese naan at an Indian restaurant, it looks like regular naan, but with a bit of cheese.  But recently, I discovered not all cheese naan is created equal.  Out there exists a place that presents diners with perfectly quartered naan that more closely resembles a sauce-less cheese-stuffed pizza.  Cheese outnumbers bread 2 to 1.  I ate it all, and I am not ashamed.

Meal planning during the week is lessening my weekend stress.

Meal planning is not a task I particularly enjoy.  I’ve been doing it for years, as it helps to eliminate the “what do we have for dinner” question.  And if I can go to the grocery store only once a week, I see that as a win (although I do have an unnatural love for a good grocery store).

Previously, I would meal planning on Saturdays, and shop on Sundays after church.  I can be a champion procrastinator and often ended up making my shopping list frantically Sunday morning.  While it might not seem like a big deal, splitting the job into two week-day planning sessions (one for main meals, one for snacks and making a shopping list), has lessened the dread considerably. I’m also learning that planning a crockpot soup for Sunday dinner is the best.  It frees up my time on Sunday for whatever needs doing, and it provides leftovers.  Win-win.

I did not miss my calling as a dog groomer.

Ok, cutting Fred’s hair is not usually on my to-do list.  But we found out this week our groomer, whose appointment’s book up month’s in advance, wouldn’t be able to see us in March as expected.  Instead, we got moved to the end of April.  Desperate times call for desperate measures.  I should have quit when the cheap clippers I bought didn’t work.  Instead, riding the high of my success with his legs and haunches earlier in the month, I grabbed some scissors.  As I’m taking hunks of hair and cutting, I’m thinking “I should probably quit while I’m ahead.  Well, maybe just a bit more here.  I can totally fix this.  Maybe.”  If you’re thinking this ended up like every Barbie haircut ever, you’re right.  It did.  I might have to put him in a coat to walk him.  Lesson learned.

I’ve started meditating every morning.

I tried to start a meditation practice right after finding out I was pregnant. I had some anxious habits that could have made it hard for me to enjoy being pregnant.  Not to mention I didn’t want to pass along anxious tendencies to our child inadvertently.  Needless to say, with all the changes that happened so quickly, my practice didn’t last long.  I restarted in January and now meditate nearly every morning as part of my Bible reading/journaling/quiet time.  Currently, I use the Headspace app for guided meditations and have noticed a difference.  I appreciated that the app has both free and paid content, allowing me to try it out without a financial commitment.

I look forward to making pour-over coffee on the weekends.

Pour-over coffee is what you’ll find in most small coffee shops in Japan.  Knowing I wanted to try this brewing process at home, Husband got me a fancy gooseneck kettle with a thermometer in the lid for Christmas.  It was one of the best gifts I received this year.  Pour over is a process that forces me to slow down and pay attention.  And it takes some time (which is why we only do it on the weekends).  I look forward to it every Saturday and Sunday.

“Stagefright puts an edge on the performance.” – Betty White

Netflix has an excellent documentary about Betty White that I loved! I didn’t know she had her own talk show, which she used to stand up for civil rights by insisting Arthur Duncan perform on the air.  She was also one of the first female producers working with one of the first female directors, and the only woman to win an Emmy for hosting a game show.  As if I didn’t already love her…

I notice a difference when I share my emotional burdens with my people.

A couple of weeks ago, I felt a cloud hanging over my head (a metaphorical cloud that is. It’s been pretty sunny here lately).  It stayed around for a few days, leaving me feeling a bit blah, but I figured it was just hormones.  As it turns out, I had a few pieces of writing that I desperately wanted to share, but that seemed too personal.  It wasn’t until I shared them with Vicki and got some feedback that the cloud went away. I’m learning the value of sharing the hard stuff with my people.  Keeping things too close can give them power over us.  The burden is more manageable when shared.

Steve Irwin’s birthday is February 22.

This popped up on Facebook, prompting me to spend some time clicking around the internet.  I didn’t know that Steve’s parents had founded the Australia Zoo, or that he’s buried there.  While these two facts don’t directly change my life, they did remind me to invest my time and my life in things I’m passionate about and enjoy.  We never know when our time will come.  I want to be like Steve, impacting others while doing something I love.

Don’t forget a hat.

Weather in Japan changes quickly.  If you don’t carry a hat, you’ll probably have to stop at the Daiso and buy one for ¥300.  It’ll probably have a pompom on it.

Japanese onsens aren’t that scary.

From the moment we moved here, we heard about the onsens.  An onsen is a type of hot spring bath that has a temperature above 25°C (77°F) and contains a certain level of minerals.  While visiting a mineral hot spring might not seem like a big deal, separate bathing areas for men and women mean people are expected to bare it all.  There is also a prescribed set of rules to follow, such as taking a shower before you enter the bath.  It can be intimating for a foreigner, especially a westerner unaccustomed to public nudity.  A few friends and I went for my first time in January.  While there was a bit of uncertainty, overall, it was a liberating experience I’d recommend to anyone.

What about you?  What are you learning this season?