Four things that are saving my life right now

Anne Bogel from Modern Mrs. Darcy occasionally does “What’s saving my life right now” posts. They’re not meant literally, of course…they’re just lists of things that are making her life better right now.

(Here’s one of hers from this year.)

I randomly felt inspired to write one of these, so it’s what you get today. 😉

Here’s what’s helping my life feel better right now:

1. Getting up a little earlier

I have always been kind of an early bird person, but for the last five years or so, Mr. FG’s work schedule has not been on the early side.

Over the years, I’ve usually melded my schedule to match his, and that worked fine when he had an early shift. I got up with him and after he left for work, I had some quiet time before the day started.

But with the more recent sleeping-later schedule, I was not getting any quiet time to read my Bible, pray, and just not talk to anyone for a little while.

To solve this, we’ve been going to bed a little earlier, and I end up waking up on my own around 6:00 or 6:30, at which point I tip-toe out and spend time reading and praying.

(Mr. FG can easily sleep longer than me, so this works out fine!)

I know I could technically read and pray at any time of day, but as a morning person, the earlier hours just flat-out work better for me.

And since I can choose to operate this way (no babies or toddlers need me!), I’m choosing it, and it’s helping me feel better prepared for my day.

2. Uninstalling Instagram every day

Of all the social media platforms out there, Instagram is the worst time suck for me.

(I don’t really enjoy Facebook, and Twitter doesn’t really suck me in either.)

But Instagram? That app can make me waste a lot of time, especially if I click over to the explore page.

So, I’ve been installing Instagram, putting up a post, and then immediately uninstalling the app.

The benefits:

• I’m producing more than I’m consuming (always my goal on the internet)
• I’m wasting less time
• I’m less distracted
• The longer I do this, the the weaker the pull Instagram has on me

Of course, it is inconvenient to reinstall the app. That’s kind of the point!

But the two minutes I spend doing an uninstall and reinstall? That’s way, way less than the amount of time I’d waste if I kept the app on my phone.

I can still access my Instagram account on my computer, so I respond to comments that way, even when the app isn’t on my phone.

Social media apps are far less distracting when you have to use them on a computer, so this is working out just fine.

(If you want to follow me on Instagram, I’m thefrugalgirl just like I am on all social media platforms.)

3. Thinking, “this is what we are doing  for now“

I think it was Kelle Hampton who posted this thought on Instagram (ha!) and it was a good reminder for me.

Sometimes, in the midst of all this upheaval (working from home, online school, so many things cancelled”, I start to sort of forget that this is not permanent.

One day, one way or another, we will not be dealing with the coronavirus at the level we are now.

One day, we will get to have gatherings and regular church and we’ll get to hug people and go to classes in person and have conferences and things will be more normal.

What we have to do right now is temporary. It’s probably a long temporary, but still; that’s different than permanent.

When my kids were little and were going through some particularly annoying phase, I often would remind myself, “Everything is a stage. It doesn’t last forever.”

So. That is what I am trying to remind myself of now.

This is a stage.

It is temporary.

There’s a lot I don’t like right now, but it is just what we are doing for now.

I don’t have to do this forever; I just have to do it right now.

On a very similar note, the fourth thing saving my life right now is:

4. Focusing on today

When I was pregnant and sick (I had hyperemesis all four times), sometimes the days of nausea stretched out before me like a seemingly endless road, and I just wanted to give up mentally.

But when I shortened my focus and looked only at the day before me, I was much more able to hang in there.

I think of it like the verse in Matthew:  “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

I don’t have to think things like, “How will I keep doing Thing X for 5 more months/two more years?”

I can just get up each day and think, “Ok, what’s before me today?”

Really, items #3 and #4 on this list are both about staying in the moment rather than mentally living in an uncertain future.

It’s hard to do, but when I am successful at it, life feels much more manageable.

What’s saving your life right now? I’d love to hear!