It wasn’t until I was coming off of a handful of busy weeks that I realized I had no structure for my Sundays. What’s the big deal you ask?
"It always seems impossible until it's done." ~ Unknown
Well, I dismissed it at first as well thinking why even think about this. But, then I sat in it longer thinking we have a set regiment for everything else in life why not create a sacred space in time where we intentionally catch our breath and center ourselves? I know some do this on a daily basis and that’s definitely a great habit to do however even with the daily habit of it, I feel the soul cries for a different reflection and centering on Sundays. So does that look like you ask?
CREATE THE SCENE. Find a place where your mind and body can relax. Your front porch. Your favorite place in the house (though outdoors would be best and favored over any indoor locations). The beach-everyone knows that’s my favorite spot. A park….perhaps a nature preserve.
HAVE A PLAN. I know the whole idea is to relax, catch your breath and center yourself, but there needs to be some template to go off of. Deciding somewhat of a structure of what the day will hold and how it will play out will enable you to incorporate all the necessary pieces your heart so desires.
JOURNAL. Journaling is one of my favorite activities. The insight, perspective and clarity journaling provides I have found to be unmatched. It’s the one place where you can be yourself with no judgement letting everything out to be your truest self. Some things to journal on during your Sunday routine can include:
What is the happiest event that happened this week?
How have you loved well this week?
How were you present this week?
What were you 3 wins for the week?
What was the biggest lesson you learned this week?
What are 5 things you are grateful for?
What makes you amazing this week?
UNPLUG. No Electronics on Sunday. No Facebook on Sundays. No work or business related tasks on Sundays. Your brain works overtime all through the week and it needs to power down and reset. On the ‘Becoming Minimalist’ blog author Joshua Becker talks about ‘7 Important Reasons to Unplug and Find Space’ reported:
Powering-down helps remove unhealthy feelings of jealousy, envy, and loneliness.
Powering-down combats the fear of missing out.
Solitude is harder to find in an always-connected world.
Life, at its best, is happening right in front of you.
Powering-down promotes creation over consumption.
Addiction can only be understood when the object is taken away.
Life is still about flesh, blood, and eye contact.
CREATE TIME TO CONNECT. Connecting with the ones you love is invaluable. We are not guaranteed tomorrow so making the time count today, minute by minute is vital. Be creative!
As a family: Have family members be assigned to picking an activity. Explore a new place together. Go on an outdoor adventure. Have a family game night & dinner with grandparents. Go for a bike ride. Have a picnic. Cuddle time reading a book together.
As a couple: Create rituals of connection. I love the Gottman Institute's recommendation https://www.gottman.com/blog/state-of-the-union-meeting-will-strengthen-your-relationship-heres-how-to-start-yours/ of: The Weekly one hour “State of the Union” conversation. The structure of this meeting is: (1) Begin by talking about what has gone right this week in the relationship, (2) Give one another 5 appreciations each that you haven’t uttered yet this week (see the Expressing Appreciations Card Deck, or app), (3) If a problem exists use the Gottman-Rapoport Intervention to discuss the problem, or if a regrettable incident occurred, use the Aftermath of a Fight to process it, and, (4) End the meeting by asking one another the question, “What can I do next week to make you feel loved?”
As a single person: Visit with loved ones. Explore with your four legged companion. Visit new places. Spend time with nieces, nephews or cousins. I know before I had kids I poured into my cousins and spent time with them, took them on adventures and taught them new skills...I think I taught all my little cousins to swim.
READ. Books are knowledge at your fingertips. Using Sunday to either catch up on reading, takes notes of what you’ve read during the week, reflect on what you’ve read or just have a Sunday read is beneficial. There’s nothing like a good cup of tea/coffee and a book on a Sunday afternoon.
Today’s day in age requires us to set up boundaries around everything in order that we don’t lose ourselves or lose site of the many blessings that surround us. How are you going to create your Sunday routine in order to center yourself and create a brighter tomorrow? For me how I walk through my Sunday sets the tone for the rest of the week.
References:
Becker, J. 7 Important Reasons to Unplug and Find Space [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.becomingminimalist.com/unplug-please/
Hi, I'm Yvette E. McDonald the owner and counselor at Traveling Light Counseling, a practice for couples, individuals and parents helping them discover the person they were always meant to be as they become the best version of self in their roles and relationships in the Port Saint Lucie and Martin County area. I'm passionate about helping people write a new chapter in their journey of life. If you're in the Saint Lucie or Martin County Area and life isn't quite what you expected it to be at this point in your journey, please give me a call at 772-361-8448 for a free, 15-minute phone consultation.