It’s FRIDAY! Who’s excited? I am! Granted, my days don’t even really feel like work because I love my job that much but I’ll be honest, I’ve been traveling the last 3 weekends in a row and I am so ready to stay home and do just exactly whatever I want to.
So. In honor of the next 48 hours that I have off, I’d like to offer a few new things that I am going to try this weekend and I’d like to challenge you to try them too. Let’s give it a go.
- Don’t look at or touch your phone when you are with someone.
> Touching and looking at our phone isn’t a result of a need, right? The phone is not ringing every 2 minutes. It’s not going to grow legs and run away. Checking it obsessively is just a habit we’ve formed over time. We do it unconsciously. So we have to consciously create new habits – like leaving it the HEY alone! Don’t place it on the table in range of your peripheral vision and don’t have your hand on it ready to feel it vibrate in your jacket pocket. Just leave it alone. This makes the person you are with feel like a priority and allows you to fully be in the moment that you are actually in.
. - Call a stranger by their name.
>People love hearing their name. Next time you check out at Starbucks or Target, catch the name on their name tag and thank them personally. “Thank you, Susan. I appreciate it.” And then watch their response. It delights people to be called by name. And don’t you want to delight someone this weekend? Sure you do.
. - Get outside.
>The days are short and daylight is limited. Take advantage of your days off by enjoying some time outside when you can. It doesn’t matter if the high this weekend is thirty-three degrees, bundle up and go play outside. Take your dog for a walk, breathe some fresh air and let the sun shine on your face. If we wait until Daylight Savings or the warm weather is here to stay, we (I) may go into full-on depression. Plus, sunshine and fresh air has many benefits for your health such as more energy and reduced stress, so get on out there!
. - Make a list of what you are grateful for in the morning.
> Gratitude provides perspective. If you start your day with thoughts of thankfulness, you are intentionally setting your mindset in a state of contentment and joy. When you are grateful, you can also more likely handle any challenges you will face during your day. Write it down or just think about it while you are getting ready, but make a list and see how that mindset of gratitude produces joy without you really even trying. Happy weekend ahead. And you’re welcome.
. - Be Still.
>When you stop your mind, you create room for peace in your life. Go to a coffee shop or sit on a blanket outside at the park. Read your Bible. Meditate. Pray. Stop your mind for at least 30 minutes. Don’t do this at home (you’ll try to multitask and do laundry at the same time,) don’t do this where your phone is accessible, don’t use this time to make a to-do list of things you will do after your 30-minutes of peace. Just sit and be still with yourself and your thoughts. Can you do that? It’s not unproductive. It’s a valuable use of your time. It’s valuing YOU.
Some of these are hard for me (like #5) and some of them are just correcting bad habits I’ve formed (like #1) but I am going to challenge myself to do all of them this weekend.
What new things do you want to try this weekend?
