Savoring the Seasons That Fly By.

October, November, and December are my very favorite months. Although they're two distinct seasons (fall and Christmas), in my mind, it's a 90 day magical season.

We talk a lot about savoring seasons, about making the most of them and getting all you can out of them, but that kind of talk is mostly reserved for seasons that aren't the best and times that are hard. So how to you go about savoring the best seasons? The ones that fly by no matter how badly you want them to last?

Be present. You may not be able to spend all your time doing exactly what you want to celebrate your favorite seasons, but nothing will waste your life and make you miserable faster than wishing you were somewhere else, doing something else. So no matter what your life looks like, be present this season.

Do your favorite things. You already know this season is going to fly by, so make a list of your favorite things that you really want to do. When you have free time, look at your list. An hour you would have spent browsing Facebook can turn into an hour of trying your hand at that pumpkin cookie recipe you love.

Make time for who and what is important to you. We all know we're going to have to rearrange schedules and to-do lists in order to make time for things. Really, we do this every day. Just make sure you're making time for the important things and people. Sure, you can make time to organize your spice cabinet...but is now really the best time for that?

Take a moment to soak it all in each day. For me, nothing flies by faster than December. Last year, I made it a mission to spend at least five minutes sitting in front of the all lit up Christmas tree with my cup of coffee every day in December. Sometimes I spent an hour drinking coffee and listening to Christmas music, sometimes it was just five minutes. But it made me feel like I got a little bit of Christmas every single day, and it was so nice.

Don't beat yourself up when something doesn't meet your expectations. Fall, and especially Christmas, usually comes with a list of things you can't wait to do. I know I have this list (okay, lists) every year. Sometimes everything gets crossed off, sometimes it's January and I haven't so much as baked cookies. Life happens, and that's okay. Don't let missed expectations ruin the season--just enjoy it for what it is.

How do you savor the seasons that fly by?

The (Im)Perfect Here & Now.

Being present is something that's so hard to do, yet it's gained a lot of popularity lately. Living in the here and now is so important, but it's kind of become a fad, making it seem like it should be easy, or that everything will work out perfectly if you just do it, because so many other people are talking about it.

It's like baggy jogger pants--they became so popular, so surely they must be super flattering on everyone, right?

Nope.

Living in the here and now is not easy. Being present without worrying about everything that needs to get done is actually really hard. Contrary to the popularity of the subject, choosing to live in the present will not take care of all your problems. Everything will not magically fall into place and get done because you choose to put down your cell phone and just live in the moment.

Don't be in the here and now because it's perfect, be in the here and now because it's imperfect. It's full of imperfection--of unfinished to-do lists, of missed deadlines, of messy kitchens--but that's what makes it real. That's what makes it life. A life full of perfectly curated moments wouldn't be a life at all. The imperfection is what makes you really, truly alive.

Be present because it's the best time. Because it's the worst time. Because you are young, because you are old, because you are alive. Because you are here, and that's real.

Your kitchen will still be messy. Your deadlines will still be looming. But if you live here, today, exactly where you are, you will be living your life. You will be getting the most out of your life. It won't be anywhere close to perfect, but it will be real. And that's almost even more beautiful, yes?

Do you struggle with living in the here and now?

A Very Present Christmas

I usually hate the term "unplugged" when it's applied to technology.  Usually because the people who use it are the same people who can't make it through a conversation without looking at their phone and will throw their kid an iPad the second tears start, but they went a whole hour without their iPhone, and they're proud of it.  So they post on instagram to tell you about it. 

"Spent the whole morning #unplugged.  It felt so good to be without technology for awhile.

#unplugged #familytime #noiphone

(posted at 7:30 AM) 

It feels very hipstocritical.  (That's a mix between hipster and hypocritical.  You're welcome.)

A few days ago, I was sitting on the couch taking pictures of every single thing Gatsby did.  I got a good one so I sat there for a good ten minutes in search of the perfect filter to use to make sure his little face could be seen. 

And then I looked up.  And Gatsby was chasing Chris around the Christmas tree, and for a second, it felt like I was in a movie.  It was the cutest thing I've ever seen, and it felt like such a perfect moment.  And all I could think was, why in the world am I on instagram right now? 

I do realize the irony of talking about unplugging on a blog, but I don't mean a completely technology-free Christmas.  I'm so thankful for all things iPhone, especially around the holidays.  So I'm not talking about unplugging, I'm talking about being present. 

When I pick up my phone instead of just enjoying the moment, it's not that I'm choosing to not be present, it's simply a habit.  I'm so used to not going thirty seconds without doing something that if there's a break in busyness, I automatically pick up my phone.  I automatically check twitter.  Twitter isn't bad.  My phone isn't bad.  But this Christmas, I want my automatic response to

downtime to be to enjoy it.  To actually live in the moment rather than diving into social media and letting the moment zip right past me.

Being present is a gift I'm giving to myself this year. Because I don't want to miss these moments.  I don't want to miss the days leading up to my first married Christmas.  I don't want to miss fun nights with sweet friends.  I don't want to miss anything.  I want to be fully present for all of it.

And you just can't be fully present if your eyes are glued to your phone. 

  

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