Welcome to The Liminality Journal! Whether you’ve been with me the last few weeks or you’re just joining us, I am so glad you’re here. I hope you’ll share my words with someone who’s longing to know they’re not alone, and if you love what you’re reading, I hope you’ll subscribe. Thanks for being here.
I have been really enjoying your posts here Kaitlin. Thank you so much. Most mornings, when I drive to work, I see an older woman cleaning her driveway, stooped over with an old fashioned broom and dust pan. It makes me smile but I never thought about why. You've touched on the why. Thank you. Congratulations on the new piano; may it continue to bring you peace.
I'm thinking that our habits may or may not be intentional. We might have a "good" habit that is is useful to us or a "bad" habit we've fallen into mindlessly. Or we might start off with a good intention that builds a habit but then, over time, that habit becomes automatic in a way that we fall asleep to ourselves. Sometimes life changes and we need to change and shake up old habits, even ones that once served us. We need to stay awake. All that given, it's fun to play with the words and consider them from different angles. I thought of how a habit can involve a routine (or be a routine) and then I thought of a quote I wrote down a long time ago. It's from a journal by the writer May Sarton called *Plant Dreaming Deep.* " I knew, from having watched my father hack down the incredible amount of work he accomplished day by day and year by year, how supportive a routine is, how the spirit moves around freely in it as it does in a plain New England church. Routine is not a prison , but a way into freedom from time. The apparently measured time has immeasurable space within it, and in this it resembles music." So a habit/routine can provide a structure that allows a certain sort of freedom. There's definitely an ebb and flow. Right now, I want to direct more intention in how I spend my days. I have a fair amount of freedom now --I recently moved away from from running a small business with my husband--but I need to give some intention to what sorts of routines will make my new freedom count for something...
I resonate with the ways our bodies can miss our intentions and habits. I have been learning how to bring consciousness and body awareness (checking in to see what my body needs in the moment) into intentions that turn quickly into habits because habits give me a sense of security and calm. Mornings are my most intentional time of the day and I notice that when I don't have my morning practices, I am more anxious and unsettled throughout the day. I'll notice my body and spirit longing for these intentional habits even if that means waking up way too early to have the quiet time to practice them.
I think a lot of my day in and day out is habit, but I'm interested in exploring intention now, after reading your post. You always make me think about the everyday things in a new way and I'm grateful! One thing I do have intention about is work breaks. I get a tea from the Panera in the lobby, or brew one of my bagged or loose leaf blends at my desk, and just sit, computer on rest. Sometimes I listen to a podcast, sometimes I color. My mom gave me a portable watercolor set for Christmas, so my scheduled breaks will now likely include watercolor painting. I put it in my planner as "protected break time."
I have been really enjoying your posts here Kaitlin. Thank you so much. Most mornings, when I drive to work, I see an older woman cleaning her driveway, stooped over with an old fashioned broom and dust pan. It makes me smile but I never thought about why. You've touched on the why. Thank you. Congratulations on the new piano; may it continue to bring you peace.
I'm thinking that our habits may or may not be intentional. We might have a "good" habit that is is useful to us or a "bad" habit we've fallen into mindlessly. Or we might start off with a good intention that builds a habit but then, over time, that habit becomes automatic in a way that we fall asleep to ourselves. Sometimes life changes and we need to change and shake up old habits, even ones that once served us. We need to stay awake. All that given, it's fun to play with the words and consider them from different angles. I thought of how a habit can involve a routine (or be a routine) and then I thought of a quote I wrote down a long time ago. It's from a journal by the writer May Sarton called *Plant Dreaming Deep.* " I knew, from having watched my father hack down the incredible amount of work he accomplished day by day and year by year, how supportive a routine is, how the spirit moves around freely in it as it does in a plain New England church. Routine is not a prison , but a way into freedom from time. The apparently measured time has immeasurable space within it, and in this it resembles music." So a habit/routine can provide a structure that allows a certain sort of freedom. There's definitely an ebb and flow. Right now, I want to direct more intention in how I spend my days. I have a fair amount of freedom now --I recently moved away from from running a small business with my husband--but I need to give some intention to what sorts of routines will make my new freedom count for something...
I resonate with the ways our bodies can miss our intentions and habits. I have been learning how to bring consciousness and body awareness (checking in to see what my body needs in the moment) into intentions that turn quickly into habits because habits give me a sense of security and calm. Mornings are my most intentional time of the day and I notice that when I don't have my morning practices, I am more anxious and unsettled throughout the day. I'll notice my body and spirit longing for these intentional habits even if that means waking up way too early to have the quiet time to practice them.
I think a lot of my day in and day out is habit, but I'm interested in exploring intention now, after reading your post. You always make me think about the everyday things in a new way and I'm grateful! One thing I do have intention about is work breaks. I get a tea from the Panera in the lobby, or brew one of my bagged or loose leaf blends at my desk, and just sit, computer on rest. Sometimes I listen to a podcast, sometimes I color. My mom gave me a portable watercolor set for Christmas, so my scheduled breaks will now likely include watercolor painting. I put it in my planner as "protected break time."