Holly J Campbell

Most things we know have a beginning and an ending.

Songs, music, the calendar, the seasons, daytime, nighttime, a cup of coffee…you get the idea.

While some change is difficult, I have to say I enjoy the changing seasons. The definition of one season allows us to appreciate it more as well as look forward to the next. November may not be the official beginning of Fall, but it is the beginning of a season of sorts. Halloween is past, and thoughts (and advertisments) start looking toward Christmas. Sometimes they mention Thanksgiving too.

The weather begins to cool in the Northern states, and with that cooling comes a sense of quiet, of contemplation, and anticipation.

Outside activities shift, and sweaters, scarves, coats and hats become high fashion once again. Cozy images of steaming cups of cocoa, fresh-baked cookies, bonfires, or fireplaces, frosty windows, and trees that have shed their leaves once again, provide visual cues to this shift. Social media posts quickly confirm that the holidays are fast approaching!

It’s a good time to pause, to consider the next few weeks, and what they will entail. Gatherings, busyness, baking, planning, and more may quickly fill in our calendars. Even if our calendars aren’t full, often our thoughts are consumed with all the goings on.

As we near the end of this year, and the beginning of the next, there are a few things I need to consider:

• Prioritizing getting into the Word – Reading the Bible daily. (How can we continue to learn and know who God is, if we don’t read the words He has given us?)
• Healthy meal planning. (Nothing crazy, but being better at planning how and what we eat.)
• Exercise – scheduling time to move every day.
  • Walking outside whenever possible
  • Going up and down the stairs if the weather isn’t great
  • Finding some resistance/strength/weight training options
• Sleep – scheduling my time and being consistent with any projects, to get them done earlier in the day.
• Less screen time. I have so many books to read, with a list that continues to grow! I have craft/art projects I want to work on. Spending time watching TV or looking at my phone limits the time I have to accomplish these things.
• Write more consistently. I’ve often thought about writing a memoir, but my writing practice doesn’t currently exist. There are other genres I’ve considered as well, but until I strengthen that writing muscle, it won’t happen! (You can’t run a marathon, or even a 5K if you don’t train for it.)

This isn’t a comprehensive list, but it gets me started in naming some things I know need effort and improvement! My workspace is almost organized (after having moved recently), so I’m closer, but I can’t use that excuse to keep me from starting now!

As Mary Poppins once said, “Once begun is half done!” (or something like that!)