reflecting on my one little word...four months in

(written on 1 May 2014)

I am making progress in honoring and upholding my OLW for 2014 - granted, it's in small, slow ways, but perhaps that is the best approach if I want to stay steadfast in my commitment. These ways include...

...Wildcat Guy and I seeking out a church here in Michigan to call home. This is the first time we've done this together, so it's interesting to see what each of us considers important; but what I've appreciated the most is that we are actively, jointly seeking to build a stronger faith life as individuals and a couple.

...the relief of having a comfortable budget in April (v. the tight, count-every-penny approach necessary in the months before). Finding healthy, good ways to spend our money, while challenging myself to find ways to save, was a valuable pairing in April, and with that month of experience, I am hoping to make May even wi$er.

...a recognition in this past week that a simple, effective way to be both healthier and wi$er in my lifestyle is to quit buying so many drinks (be it chai, soda or something else) from the Cafe, gas station, etc. In fact, a goal I'm setting for myself in May is to completely eliminate soda - ideally permanently - from my eating habits (with the exception of Ale-8).

...an evolution in my way of thinking about friendship. For the past six months or so, I've really struggled with feelings of hurt, loneliness, dissatisfaction, worry, and even jealousy in how I think about specific relationships. Even as I recognized the roots and seeds of these emotions (including the life transitions I've recently experienced) and acknowledged I was being somewhat dramatic, I felt bogged down by them. I am grateful I could spend time processing all of this and arrive in a place of acceptance - a place that says my friendships with people are unique entities that cannot and should not be compared. Not to each other, and not to the friendships those people have with others.

And there are so many other little ways that this word - CREATE - is manifesting itself in my life...which is so totally a good thing (especially in how a previous word - wi$e - is showing itself).

(inspired by Ali Edwards' One Little Word project)