What day is the most stressful for you?

I think for me it’s Thursday. There are no classes Wednesday, so it feels like a mini-Monday. But unlike Mondays when I feel optimistic about tackling everything on a to-do list, Thursdays feel exhausting.
Today’s letter is as much for me as for you, because I need this encouragement big-time!
First off, it’s important to show yourself grace
No, more than that. It’s vital that you show yourself grace. We need to recognize that we can’t do it all…and that that’s okay. We need breaks.
Of course, that doesn’t mean we let our commitments drop. We still have to eat. Our kids still need to have school and make it to dance.
But on days like this, maybe dropping the to-do list is the kindest thing you can do for yourself. Instead of trying to tackle more projects, find something unusual to occupy your mind. Listen to a podcast while you go for a walk, call a friend you haven’t talked to in awhile..something that elevates the day from ‘let’s just make it through’ to ‘hey, this is a good day!’
If you just have to do a long list for the day, though, and there’s not room for something extra, you can still squeeze in moments of joy.
Here’s stuff I do:

• Turn on fun music while you go about your day. Whatever music makes you happiest, make sure it’s playing when you’re doing your thing.
• Find mini rewards for getting things done. I’ll pause my coffee break until after I knock something unpleasant off my to-do list, so it feels even more like a prize for accomplishment. And coffee makes everything better (can I get an amen?)
• Remind myself: this is a stage in our family’s life. Someday our schedule won’t be so packed.It may be that a few years from now, I’ll be snuggled up with my husband, watching a movie every Thursday evening, instead of running to the dance studio. And I know I’m going to miss being surrounded by the dance life. (of course, I’ll still be taking pictures, so I won’t be completely out of the world of dance).