You may have heard me talk about her before, but one of the things I love about Emily P. Freeman (besides her books and podcast, of course!) is how she encourages reflection and looking back on each season before moving into the next one. She has a regular practice of doing this every three months, and I always enjoy reading her posts.
However, despite all my good intentions for more seasons than I’d like to admit, I’ve never written a “What I Learned” post of my own to join in with hers even though she always invites us to share. So for this week’s Treasure Hunt Tuesday, I’m looking back on what I’ve learned or come to know even more fully over the last three months, and I’d love for you to join me as well.
1. Writing can be a hard-fought process, but it’s good for my soul.
I’ve known this for a while, especially when it comes to journaling (even if I’m not very consistent with it), but it’s only been as I’ve pushed through trying to write here every week with you in mind that I’ve come to more of these realizations. Working to articulate and share encouragement for other people tends to help those truths stick in my mind even more (and goodness knows I need to come back to them often). It also helps bring order to my swirling, chaotic thoughts–which is probably why it takes me so long to actually write anything!
But I’m grateful for the glimpses God allows me to see of how He uses the process to shape my heart and uplift others. So I hope to keep writing in order to keep reminding myself and you of the goodness God pours into our lives “out of His fullness,” whether our current seasons or moments feel empty or full. He is always faithful.
2. Daily social media challenges are not for me.
As much as it’s good for me to write regularly, trying to publish something every day is way too much for me, at least in this season. I especially noticed this when Emily Freeman had an Instagram challenge in April with 24 daily prompts for #MyNextRightThing. I thought it was cute, especially since I love her book, love her heart, and loved the fact that the challenge started on my birthday and ended on hers. So it seemed perfect.
But guess how many days I actually posted?
Three.
I made it on Day 1, Day 2, and Day 4 before completely giving up. I loved reading so many beautiful posts other people shared but had to let myself off the hook. Who has time to find a photo and write a thoughtful caption every single day? Not me!
I’m sure a lot of it has to do with the fact that I overthink and over-edit, plus I’m just not as creative in those directions. But instead of beating myself up over those qualities, I’m learning to be ok with how I’m wired and lean into what I can do rather than get frustrated with what I can’t manage right now. It’s a continual process, but I’m learning!
So when Hope*Writers did a similar challenge in May, I knew better than to try to participate. I simply enjoyed reading everyone else’s posts without feeling guilty or less-than for not being able to write the way they did. And it was lovely.
3. I still love going to the park.
Ok, this one I’m sure isn’t a surprise to anyone who knows me, but I think I love it more and more the older I get. Whether I’m taking a break for a quick lunch, going for a walk, sitting out to read or write, or even shooting hoops for a bit (let’s not talk about the fact I have to do it without jumping because of my bad knees…), nothing much beats having a chance to be outside in nice weather.
And bonus points if I can be out near the lake!
4. Failing to take a winter vacation is a really bad idea.
Sounds obvious enough, right? I’m not sure how this even happened. But somehow I went all the way from October until the end of April without being somewhere warm by the ocean. I felt like I was never going to make it. But thankfully views like this helped uplift my heart when I finally arrived.
(You can see more scenes from my trip in my post on Rest, Worship, and Delight as well.)
5. Bob Goff, Chris Tomlin, and Steven Curtis Chapman are a few of the people on my “don’t miss seeing them in person if they’re anywhere near you” list.
I’m so glad I was able to catch each of them this past spring… what treasures indeed!
If you’d like more encouragement or inspiration for creating your own lists, check out Emily P. Freeman’s Next Right Thing Podcast episode 84: A Beginner’s Guide to Self-Reflection. (Transcripts are available as well if you prefer reading to listening.)
You can also check out her post on what she learned this spring here.
As always, I’d love to hear about your treasures or what you’ve been learning, too! Feel free to share in the comments or by sending me a message on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.
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