Reflections on My Week in the Life

After completing the photography + living + journaling part of this project, here are a few things I know:

I know that the rhythm of my days is mostly under my control. While I have a job with certain hours, that only accounts for part of my time.

I know that I have more freedom in how I spend my time than most people do. I'm not responsible for other people. I don't answer to others. No one is checking on how I spend my days.

I know that I enjoy and crave solitude. Many people would find this amount of solitude upsetting, but it seems to recharge me.

I know that I want to improve my photography skills. I want to play with light and shadow and angles until I capture images that really speak to me.

I know that I don't move enough, exercise enough. I'm spending too much time being sedentary and need to change my habits. Since I don't enjoy going to the gym, I need to look for alternatives.

I know that I want to write more. I want to write the words that express who I really am and the life I envision for myself. I want to write my truth. Maybe the writing will be more of a focus in my scrapbooking. Maybe it'll be as part of a novel. I'm not sure if the form matters as long as I write.

I know that this new school year is exhausting me both physically and mentally - note the naps last week. Maybe it's part of getting older. Maybe it's the added stress this year. Maybe I just haven't found my groove yet. Whatever the case, I hope my stamina starts to improve.

I know that my life seems very easy and simple in comparison to some of yours. There isn't much drama. I have my work and my friends, my family and the fella, my crafting and simple entertainment.

I know that some days I eat like a 12 year old with no adult supervision. When I eat better, I feel
better. That's not accidental, and I must remember it.

I know that I'm very lucky to live in a comfortable, safe home. Sure, there are things that need to be fixed and improvements I'd like to make, but I'm better off than many people in the world.

I know that my dogs give me so much company that it's hard to explain their significance in my life. They are my welcome home each day, and they keep me centered. They give me love and affection when I'm at my most unloveable.

I know that the simple act of documenting my ordinary week in the life has given me new insight into who I want to be and the way I want to live my life. I see changes I want to make, changes revealed in the act of snapping a photograph and tracking the way I spend my time and energy.

I know that there is beauty in the mundane, lessons in the ebb and flow of my day, and joys to be found in the most ordinary of days.