5 Things I Learned this Spring 🪴

Attempting a new seasonal series! Joy, art making, weird things I google, and some dog pics.

Photo by Elena Mozhvilo on Unsplash

We are always learning, if you think about it. One random question turns into a Google rabbit hole. A passing comment can trigger the, “Wait, what?” Some of it is really profound and some of it is really silly. Sometimes, all it takes is one offhand joke to send me down a Google rabbit hole, and next thing I know I’m reading the oral history of Aqua’s “Barbie Girl.”¹ It’s a whole thing.

I’m sure I’ve forgotten more than I’ve learned, so I’ve always liked the idea of documenting and sharing those little things. I just hadn’t found a good system until this year.

In December, I started using The Next Right Thing Guided Journal as a tool for morning reflection and keeping track of my life. Seasonal reflections, monthly pages, and just enough space to jot down the shape of each week? It won’t work for everyone, but it’s perfect for me right now. I really enjoy that each season gets it’s own “What I’m Learning” section. Finally, a way to do the thing that I’ve tried to do for, oh, the past 5 years or so!²

As we say goodbye to spring, here’s a peek into my journal of 5 things I learned this past season. What have you been learning? I’d love to hear in the comments!

1)  Remembering and rehearsing joy can keep you grounded in hard times.

Earlier this year, I took a class on trauma, wellness, and spiritual direction with SDI. I took so many things away from it, but I keep coming back to one simple suggestion from musician, coach, and educator Harry Pickens — the power of rehearsing joy in hard times. As a performer, he talked about “collecting memories” of times he was in flow state or when a performance went well, then recalling them in moments of anxiety or stage fright. In a similar way, he says, we can find centeredness in hard times by remembering and rehearsing joy.

This spring, joy felt like an invitation tugging on my arm. It’s easy to live in a tired and introspective space in the wintertime. But spring invites us to wake up in our spirits, minds, and bodies. And the closer I come to turning 40, the more I want to remember and rehearse joy and reconnect with things I enjoyed as a kid. Things like making art, or playing around with fiction writing, or maybe even re-learning to roller skate. (A little flickering desire for this chronically non-athletic person… we’ll see about that.)

Of course, summer started with me getting sick and canceling all the fun things, which kind of throws a temporary wrench in the “enjoy being in your body” part of the plan. But hey, there’s still a lot of summer left.

2) When the words dry up, art journaling helps.

On a whim, I signed up for Skillshare trial, took a couple of art journaling classes, and stumbled into art making again. And I love it! Finally, something to do with the random markers, collage scraps, pens, and acrylic paints I’ve accumulated in my desk drawer. I haven’t felt like writing a lot since the book launch, so this was a good way to indulge in creative play.

A couple of fun tips I’ve picked up: old gift cards are surprisingly great painting tools, and if you feel stuck, just grab a bunch of different supplies in the same color family and goof around.

A page from the journal. It’s messy and it’s fun.

3) If you can’t remember what you learned, check your Google history.

Yes, I have 100% done this to help fill out my list. That’s how you rediscover random crap you googled like…

4) Bart Simpson’s full name is Bartholomew Jojo Simpson.

In our house, we wonder weird things out loud like “lol but what if Bart Simpson’s actual name is Bartholomew?” Behold, it’s canon.

Side story: I actually remember when the very first episode of The Simpsons aired. My family sat down to check out this new cartoon. My parents were not impressed. I don’t remember it because I was too busy scheming how we could get on America’s Funniest Home Videos. (I was six.)

5) Sometimes the cure for body sadness is… moving your body.

Semi related to Thing I Learned #1, there’s a joy in getting older, but also a little bit of sadness when the random aches and pains kick in. The details aren’t important right now, but a few weeks ago a small thing triggered a two day sadness funk. Nothing too dark. Just a general blah.

So, I signed up for a short yoga class. And wouldn’t you know, moving my body got me mentally unstuck and helped me feel a little lighter and stronger. I can’t guarantee this will work for everyone, but for me, it was a good way to shift the focus from what I can’t do to what I can. Note to self: now that I’m feeling normal again, maybe it’s time to sign up for another class.

The “Is It Lyme” Update: My last post alluded to a random bout of sickness that may or may not be Lyme. I am learning that mentioning Lyme usually gets a STRONG reaction, like this is about to be the start of a whole Journey. So here’s a small and thankfully anticlimactic update.

I just finished two weeks of antibiotics and I’m feeling SO much better. Like, fever and aches were kicked in a couple of days, and after a week or so, I could feel my energy coming back. The test was negative, but apparently Lyme tests are famously unreliable, especially if you haven’t been infected for long. So… good news all around. Grateful for a doctor who took one look at my symptoms and went HERE HAVE SOME DOXYCYCLINE.

We also promptly took Malika to the groomer and got all her floof chopped off so the bugs have nowhere to hide now.

Before and After — Hot Dog Summer is here.

Wishing you a joy-filled summer! Stay safe and watch out for ticks! ☀️

1. This is indeed a real thing and I don’t remember how I got there and I have zero judgment if you want to read it too.

2. Not an affiliate link or sponsorship, I just really dig this journal!