A new Week

Today is Monday. Normally it would be a day of dread; the start of a new work week, when everything would normally just go wrong. For me today symbolized a new routine (of sorts).

It's nothing really special, life still remains the same in our household. I take care of our home, our puppy, little errands here and there, and I apply for jobs. It's my outlook that I am changing.

I started my day off Smashing Dishes. I joined a local support group where we live, that meets every month and is just an encouraging group. It was such an amazing experience this morning, to stand up there and state something that I wanted to change (or "smash") and just have someone say ok. No judgment, no advice, no disrespect, just OK, I am here for you. And then in turn, be able to stand and support someone else that needed to do the same thing. A bond is formed with each and everyone of us when you have someone that will just stand with you, not pass judgment, not try to give advice, and just say OK, I am here for you.

To pick an issue to smash, it should be an issue that you can change. It shouldn't be something that you may fail at, even if it takes time to change it (as it probably will) the fact that you are acknowledging it, and taking a first step to changing the issue is a milestone. For me it was the most amazing feeling after I "smashed" the issues. It felt like a weight was lifted off of my shoulders and I know now going forward that I will be continuing to work on the issues I smashed today. I know that I can do this and that if another challenge comes up, this is such a great first step.

Not only did we smash the issues with dishes, but we made some dishes as well. There was plain white dishware available (mugs, plates, and bowls) that we could write on with permanent marker. This is seriously the coolest thing because you write on the dishes (which can be any color) and then put them in the oven at 350 for 30 minutes and it is permanently on the dishes!! If you plan on doing this, make sure you wash the dishes by hand to ensure the writing stays on the dish. But I am getting off the immediate topic. So we wrote on the dishes something that we took away from our earlier smashing. It is such a great idea, because it is something that you can look at and use everyday and keep your spirits up and mind in check.

For me personally I wrote, It's OK. You can do this. It is something that I know I need to remind myself of. That things are OK, it is OK to feel a certain way, and that things will get better.

I encourage everyone that feels like they just need to let go, to break a dish outside. Please be safe about it (where the appropriate attire, gloves, eye protection, etc.) as I cut myself breaking a smaller piece of one of my dishes this morning. We were told that if a dish wasn't possible, you can always throw eggs at a wall, or hit a water balloon with a tennis racket, something! Life can be so overwhelming that sometimes we just need to let go and this is a great way to do it and combine it with a new outlook.

I also started off with a new bible study plan this morning. I am very excited to go through this plan and I look forward to blogging through every bit of it. I will start posting those blogs here very soon, I am still working the kinks out about how it will work and when they will be posted. It is a daily reading plan that goes through part of the book of Luke.

Have you started a new routine or a new outlook? Are you going to smash something?