Sentimental Sunday: A Thoughtful Thursday Post from February 2018

Sentimental Sunday – Graphic has mottled gray background with yellow spindly flowers coming from off-screen on both bottom corners. In script, there is the text, “Sentimental Sunday.” Under the title text, in smaller print, the text states, “musictxandme.blogspot.com” and www.musictherapyworks.com -the URLs of the blog and the website.
Before we get into today's glimpse into the past, I want to thank you for reading this post. I know that there are times when this blog has nothing to do with anything other than me, but I appreciate the views every single day. My vacation/holiday has ended, so it is time to get back into my work routine.

So, let's get back into the routine today with a glimpse back to a post in February 2018 - #1787. I find it interesting that I have almost doubled the number of posts since back then in 2018. Just something that makes me think about how much this blog works for me. 

Focus, MJ.

The post from February 15, 2018 was a Thoughtful Thursday post. It was a two-part post - something that I do very rarely. I wrote a bit in the morning and then returned to the post later in the afternoon. It had been one of the days where I was dreading the interactions and the particular group of clients who were coming to see me. Sound familiar? I have these types of days still. Nice to know that some things have challenged me for a very long time. I wonder if I will ever find a solution to this problem of mine.

I also indicated that I had decided not to document that morning so I had lots of notes waiting for me the next day. I do not postpone my documentation often, but when I do, I regret the decisions of past me in the present. Two weeks before break, I had this type of postponement happen. I regretted it deeply because I had multiple sessions to document for almost every group. I did get caught up the week before break, but let me be a cautionary example for everyone - do your documentation as soon as you can and do not let it build up! You will be better off in the long run!

One paragraph in particular catches my attention.

I think that I am spending lots of time these days avoiding things - especially my chores - so I am taking up the task of clearing out for this spiritual season. I'm doing as much as I can to make some changes in my surroundings. My goal is to clear out as much as I can so I can buy a new bed after Easter. I really need one, so it has to happen, but I have to be able to get the new bed and the mattress into the narrow hallways without knocking things over everywhere!

 I did not end up getting a new bed until after Easter. Interesting how I do the same things over and over again. My goals and foci have not changed much in the past five years - or over my entire career for that matter. I am always avoiding things - especially cleaning - so, I always try to focus on this and get better than I am at the moment. That's one of my 100 day challenges right now - a five minute clean every day. I did more than five minutes yesterday, but it is interesting to find that I am a creature of habit. I think I am being novel and finding new challenges to complete, and then I get glimpses of my life themes.

This is an idea that I may have to explore more - the concept of life themes as goals and challenges. What do I constantly work on and why?

I have some of the why answered in my mind after being at home for a week. My mom likes stuff and has a hard time getting rid of her stuff. Like me, she seems to find an empty space a challenge and strives to fill that space as soon as possible. I want to figure out how to be this way, but also how to let go of things that no longer have any relevance to me. I looked into the whole idea of KonMari organization, but all my things spark joy. I never have things that I let go of - even books and cassette tapes and things that other people have long ago sent to the thrift store or to the landfill. I love them all.

What I want is more time to do things that spark joy in me. I want to make things and give them away. I want to craft and compose and put things up on TPT and share ideas and create professional networks for music therapists and others. I want that time, but I do not really have that time. I keep making half-hearted efforts to get more time to do these types of things, but I do not continue with them. I wonder if this is part of my life theme.

I may be exploring that a bit more in the future, especially on Sundays when I take a look into the thoughts of my past...

Thank you for being here.

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