Since January 2024, I’ve been announcing my monthly theme on the first Monday of the month. This time around, I’m traveling and missed doing that. Then our trip got extended and I’ve missed another Monday. I’ve also missed out on writing in response to Marsha Ingrao’s prompt for WQ #163 – Nature/ Animals. This is something I really want to write about so I’m going to cheat on the order of my posts and sneak this one in soon! 😉
Intentionally Lighthearted In March
February was a difficult and stressful month, but as I mentioned in my previous post I managed to find glimmers and grace in it.
When I read the phrase ‘liturgy of lightheartedness‘ in Emily P Freeman’s podcast, I knew that I wanted to be intentionally lighthearted in March.
What does being lighthearted mean?
Here’s what the dictionary says.
I want to focus on the first meaning – not so much as being happy go lucky, but ‘free from care and anxiety’. As I’ve shared before, I am an anxious person. Recent events, made me super anxious. I found myself not sleeping – turning things over in my head – while tossing in bed. There was a mixture of anger, feeling let down by the law and the government machinery that is so flawed and takes forever to process things, and just a feeling of total helplessness.
This is not how I want to live my life – worrying about things, trying to control outcomes, and imagining the worst. My decisions will then start to be fear-based and that’s certainly not okay.
Choosing to be lighthearted, to me, means letting go of fear, doing the best I can do in the situation, including fighting back and then letting go of the outcome.
What actions am I taking to be lighthearted in March?
Living in a lighthearted way is a choice I need to make on a daily basis.
The best thing I can do is stick to my daily rituals. This was difficult at the start of the month because we were not at home and keeping the routine was a little challenging. Now that we’re back, I’m making sure to focus on routine and rituals, while still giving myself room to rest.
I’ve been leaning on my faith a lot more and with this being the Lenten season for Christians, I’ve been reading a lot more scripture. One of the verses that I’m especially leaning on was mentioned by Emily in her podcast too.
Live carefree before God; he is most careful with you.
– 1 Peter 5: 7, The Bible
While I have loads of good books in my TBR pile, I’m doing some lighthearted reading and enjoying it. I’m also making sure to catch an afternoon nap and sleep in later than usual if I feel like it.
“Reading and naps, two of life’s greatest pleasures, go especially well together.”
~Will Schwalbe, Books for Living
I know we’re already in the middle of the month, but do let me know what you planned to focus on in March.
Today I'm linking in to Marsha Ingrao's WQ #164: March 13: Actions/ Ides of March/Settling debts
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Hi Corinne, Here’s wishing you the most carefree month ever. Stay green and lively. Breathe deeply. You can’t change the government unless you are included in that circle. You belong to a bigger, more permanent government anyway. So you’re good. 🙂 Thanks for being part of WQ. It’s always a pleasure to read your posts.
Hi Corinne – this reminded me so much of my #WOTY for 2023 – Live Lightly. I think you’re feeling the same desires I had back then to shed some of the strain, to stop pushing through, and to just “be” and give your mind, body and soul some space to breathe. I hope March is restful for you. Being intentional about it makes a huge difference.
I’m not generally anxious, but I’ve struggled with anxiety and depression over the past year or so and my sleep has been horrible, and I’ve found it harder to stay hopeful and optimistic (which used to come naturally to me) – or light-hearted, as you put it. It’s interesting that one of the practices that has helped me is establishing routines and making myself stick to them. Praying that you find the joy and light-heartedness you are seeking!
Thanks for being always so transparent! We all struggle with something. I too must give myself permission to just relax sometimes and not feel guilty about it.
Slow living is also a conscious choice and I am glad that you are doing that. I love sticking to my daily routine. However, sticking to my routine is easier said than done. I am a disciplined person and I have stopped judging myself if my routine goes haywire. I believe that is self-care. Beautiful post as always.
I love that you’re focusing on a lighthearted approach in March. As a fellow anxious person, I have to intentionally remind myself to be more lighthearted too. That’s one reason I try to always have a novel going alongside my heavy nonfiction books. ha. But sometimes the novels I’m drawn too are heavy as well, defeating that purpose. 🙂
Anxiety is the bane of so many of us. The most useless kind is when we worry about things that aren’t in our control. And yet it’s so hard to let things go. Sticking to our daily rituals is a good idea. I have incorporated 15 minutes of chanting twice a day. I’m still struggling with getting myself to focus but if I manage to sit still for those 15 minutes, I come away with a sense of achievement – and that’s worth something too. Wishing you a happy March ahead.
It is a coincidence of sorts because all I have done in the month of March till now comprised mainly of reading and napping. Whenever I sit to read, I begin to feel sleepy. When I wake up from my nap, I go back to reading. And the cycle continues 🙂