Hello
It’s so good to visit with you again. Happy Tuesday.
Energy
Who here pays attention to their body? Hmm, I’m trying to. In fact, I’m learning the hard way.
The tree is still standing. If you didn’t read last week’s post, I cut down half a tree. Mind you, it’s a small one, but I didn’t work on it at all this week. The weather was part of the problem—it rained a good bit—but my energy level wasn’t exactly cooperating either.
So, I decided to listen to my body. Instead, I made two great dinners for us this week. One was intentionally planned so we’d have leftovers the next night. I love leftovers! The side dish was baby potatoes, carrots, and fresh green beans. I lightly creamed the mixture and then added a “secret” ingredient at the very end. Well, it’s not much of a secret. I stirred in a couple of tablespoons of French onion dip. Don’t ask me why—I just thought it sounded good. And boy, was it ever!
But back to listening to my body.
My replaced hip is doing well, but the quads on that leg let me know when I’ve overdone it. Another factor is that we have steps here at the lake house. My office, craft room, and journaling space are all in the basement, along with the laundry. Then there are a few more steps, just getting in and out of the house. Add in the dampness and humidity, something we don’t deal with in Arizona, and it all adds up. And let’s not forget the getting-older part.
When my body says, “Nope, not today,” I’ve started listening. When I do, my energy seems to come back tenfold, and my quads are much happier to cooperate. So maybe I’ll get back to the tree this week. Or maybe Sweet Man will finish it. He’s got plenty on his plate, though, and I have to admit—I kind of want to be able to say I did it myself. Does that make sense?
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
10 Minutes A Day
I recently read about the “10-Minute-a-Day Theory,” and it made me smile because I’ve been doing some version of it for most of my adult life. The theory is — no matter how tired you are, take ten minutes and tackle something that needs to be done.
It works for almost everything—dusting, reading, gardening, decluttering, cleaning, organizing, you name it. Some days, we have the energy to spend hours checking things off our lists. Other days, ten minutes is all we’ve got, and that’s okay.
“If you’re disciplined enough, ten minutes a day is all you need to make things happen.” — Jonathan Peykar
I will clean part of the bathroom today. Then tomorrow tackle the bathtub. Those ten minutes help me tremendously. Most days, I’ll spend ten minutes and go through the mail, then hang up the clothes draped over the bedroom chair from the day before, and straighten the kitchen counter. These 10 minutes a day help my energy level stay in check.
Sometimes what needs attention isn’t just the house—it’s my mind. Ten minutes of reading, praying, meditating, gardening or journaling can be exactly what the doctor ordered for me.
A ten-minute walk through the gardens works wonders. It clears my mind, and somehow, a few pesky weeds usually get pulled along the way. And yes, some days it’s only 10 minutes.
The photos below were taken during one of those ten-minute walks. I came back inside feeling refreshed and recharged.
The ten-minute rule has helped me more times than I can count.
Oh, and whether I finish the tree this week, Sweet Man finishes it, or it stands there for another week, it’ll still be waiting. The important thing is that I am taking care of myself and enjoying my summer at the lake.
Thanks For Being Here!
I’m learning that energy is a gift, not an unlimited resource. Some days I can do more, and some days a little less. Either way, progress is still progress.
Thanks for being here on another Tuesday. I wish for you to have unlimited energy this week. ☺️
Linking up with Terri Sunday Stills and The Flower Hour
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Listening to your body. Oof! Such an important lesson and your insight about “10 minutes” is so good. Remembering when to say “good enough”. Extra hard for some of us. 🤪❤️🤪
And Nancy Lou! Your side dish???? OH MY STARS…green beans, carrots and potatoes…my faves and your inspired addition? Looks so good…yum!
Sending Tuesday love. Take care.
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Thank you Vicki Lou! 🥰😘🥰
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I hadn’t heard of Ten Minutes a Day but I’ve kind of lived that without knowing it existed. With a project I keep procrastinating on I set the timer (usually for a half hour, sometimes less) and go in that room or space or project and not to leave till the buzzer goes. Usually I get into it and find myself engrossed and keep at it and if I finish sooner, bonus points!
You are wise to do this with self care and in that spirit, I wish you well for the healing and restoration of your quads. It’s odd how new physical places can remind us of body parts we forgot we had!
It’s so true!! We feel our aches and pains more here in Pennsylvania. But we love it here!!!
Thanks for the love!
My energy level does swing from a little to thinking I can do everything that needs attention in one day. I do try to pace myself with gardening and household chores. I have a hard time resting when I look around and see all that needs to be done. Listen to your body, Nancy. Remember you had hip replacement. The tree will not go anywhere, it will still be there when you have the energy to finish the job.
Wishing you a blessed and happy Tuesday, my friend!
You just described me! We think and do alike. Thanks for the love my dear friend.
Enjoy your Tuesday!
Your words and photos never disappoint and this Tuesday is no different! Everything you said resonated with me and I love the RWE quote. I actually had a poster with that saying on it with a whimsical print that I had framed and in the kids’ toy area in the basement when they were younger. Speaking of younger, none of are getting any younger and it is so important to listen to our bodies. I’m glad that you are listening to yours :). Lovely photos- I hope a short walk in your beautiful garden rejuvenates you and brings you joy (how could it not, lol?).
Thank you for all the love! Enjoy the rest of your week!☺️
I can imagine that lovely spring garden rejuvenates you. Peaceful, thoughtful wisdom to share as we age. Welcome back to the North.
Thank you my friend! So good to hear from you! Hope all is well!😊
Nancy, you are smart to listen to your body and rest when you need it. The older I get the more I accept the fact that it’s ok to not try to do everything at once. I like the idea of the 10 minute rule. I’ve been doing that for a while but I didn’t know I was following a rule! Have a great week!
I know! I didn’t know it was “a thing!”
Thanks always for your visits and kind words. ☺️
I like your 10 minute a day thinking. Sometimes we can wear ourselves out on a project and our bodies say “enough is enough”. Question…the pink flower in the photo below your “Hello”, I’m wondering what it is called. I grew up in Texas and to was called a buttercup. At sometimes of the year, all the pastures would be covered in their pink blossoms.
They are called pink ladies. They are in the evening primrose family.
Thank you for the visit and sweet comments! 😊
Oh Nancy, you are saying what I have been living since my illness. I do not have the energy I once had, and my oncologist has told me, my body went through so much…not only the cancer, chemo and radiation but the 12 hour Whipple Surgery where many of my ‘innards’ 🥰 were partially removed and re-arranged and re-attached. In my mind, I think I can go into the kitchen and stand and cook and bake all day, but my body tells me differently, so I have had to learn to ‘listen’ to what it is telling me. So now, taking a familiar quote, “I used to do it all in a day, but now a day does it all to me”, I do things in time increments like your ’10 minutes a Day’. And guess what,? the only adjustment I have to make is to change the way I think. Gone are the days when (Years ago) people would drop in unannounced and I would feel I had to have my home ‘ready’…If things are picked up and dusted, I am good to go. And if they are not? it is not the end of the world. It is a mind set my friend…so what if the tree is still standing?…in due time, this too shall pass. Meanwhile, we have been given more time to stop and smell the roses. 🥰🤗🌸❤️
Amen Kari!!
I thank God for answered prayers for you. I remember your battle dear one.
Thank you always for all the love. Enjoy the rest of the week! ☺️
Excellent advice on how a few minutes can make a difference, Nancy. Its amazing how labor expands to fill the time alotted. But at least it’s our choice. Your dish look yummy and the onion dip is a great idea! I hope your leg and muscles heal quickly! It’s perplexing to know the bone has healed but the muscles need to adjust to a new (and better) normal. Lovely florals in the garden, what a restful place. Enjoy, my friend!
Thank you so much Terri! It’s always so good to hear from you!🥰
We have to know when to shed things, and listening to our bodies is a great start! It knows what it needs.
Exactly!!
Thanks for the visit!😊
Hi,
I have been doing the same. 10 minutes a day … it works. 🙂
I love that little turtle you shared on the rock, it looks real!
Carla from The River
Isn’t he a cutie! I bring him out every summer. He loves that rock. And yes, he is quite realistic. He and the frog are great friends.
Thank you for the visit and Happy day to you! 😊
Nancy, you gave us so many nuggets of wisdom in your post today. Thank you! I think I can do better at listening to my body and I can, for sure, do better at remembering that even 10 minutes of something is progress! I adore your photo of the daisy with the water droplets! So fresh and lovely. Have a beautiful week!
Thank you sweet friend! So good of you to visit!
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Allotting ten minutes for a project or even for resting is a good idea. When your body says keep going, you can always do that, but you are giving yourself permission to stop. I’m glad you are listening to your body. You recovered from your hip surgery very quickly, but you still have to be gentle with yourself.😉
Amen!! I am trying.
Thanks for all the love.
The view is ‘tree-mendous’ now that part of it is gone! Yes, to paying attention to your body. Your flower gardens are delightful, and I’d get lost in just enjoying them.
Thank you my friend!
Sounds like you’re making it all work out just fine. I’m pulling for you to finish that tree. 🙂 Each year brings new physical challenges associated with a lot of gardening and physical activity, but I think we just keep doing as much and as well as we can because that old saying ‘use it or lose it’ is a fact.
I say that saying often! Ha! Ha!
Thanks Judy for being my cheerleader.
Have a wonderful weekend!