MelsJustPeachy

Who doesn’t love a good Sunday? No matter how busy your week was, you can always count on Sunday to come about with its slower version of Saturday. Sundays are special because it allows for a  pause and slow down before the busyness of Monday comes about. On Sundays in our house, we focus on recentering ourselves, resting and preparing for the next week. Whatever your Sunday routines, I hope that this blog post cultivates awareness around self-preservation, creating space and honoring yourself. While I will share my routines and what works for me and my family it’s important to take some time and space to think about what works for you and your family.

On Sunday mornings we, set the table.

The morning will start off with an intentionally homemade breakfast, one that requires more time than the quick breakfasts of the week. It can be a breakfast casserole, pancakes, waffles, fresh baked croissants, whatever it is make sure its something that brings you great joy and happiness to make. I tend to make feel-good classics that everyone will enjoy.  It’s wonderful to try new things too, but never underestimate the power of a good classic breakfast. The classic scrambled eggs, pancakes, orange juice and bacon are always a fan favorite. If it was made with intention and love, it will come out great!   

Setting the table can be another way to honor the space you are creating on Sunday morning and tribute to yourself and family members. It doesn’t have to be fancy but do something that you would normally reserve for your guest, and do it for yourself! Sometimes it seems we reserve the best of the best for company but occasionally, you should use these same things to bring yourself joy and happiness. Sometimes I will put fresh flowers out on the table and put out the “fancy” dishes I have. Those are little reminders to honor myself and all that I have accomplished for the week. Lastly, if a heavy breakfast isn’t for you, try having a lighter breakfast of tea and pastries. Take out the teacups and saucers and enjoy!

We honor ourselves through routines and rituals.

I grew up in a home where Sundays were for church, family dinners and preparing for Monday. Then later after I got married and the years went on Sundays became more and more intentional. On Sundays, I take some time to review my EC planner for the next week, mapping out all I’d like to accomplish and everything I have on my schedule. I set aside time to check on all of my plants and ensure they have water, this is an premeditated practice where I can enjoy my plants and care for them in a rush-free space. I set aside time to do something enjoyable with my spouse, and sometimes it’s as simple as watching a movie we wanted to watch together. During this time we are setting aside space to rest but to also enjoy each other’s company. I make it a point to do anything during the week that I didn’t quite have time for, in my case, study French. It’s important that whatever this thing is that you didn’t quite have time for is one of self-preservation, something that contributes to happiness and wellbeing. Something that keeps the mind sharp but the heart light. It should never be something that stresses you out or takes away from the Sunday vibes (more relaxed and calmer).

Take a moment to observe and admire your partners or other household members routines. Honor them by allowing space for their routines too! My spouse will also make sure he gets in a strong workout out before returning to the desk on Monday. He will prepare his morning routine on Sunday night so that Monday morning is a little bit smoother.  My dad will wake up every Sunday morning to a cup of piping hot coffee, a power-walk, and his morning church service. My cousin, like myself will prepare with her EC planning and looking at the week ahead, taking extra care to enjoy nature on hikes with her son.

It’s not only important to honor our own routines and rituals but to honor the ones happening around us by creating space for others to do them. Sometimes in learning about other’s routines, it can help us to bond over common interests and goals. I truly feel like I would be lost without my EC planner, and in sharing my planning goals with my cousin, we found out that we both love the same things, being organized and planning! From finances to daily activities we find comfort in keeping it all together in way that works for us. Its become something we’ve bonded over and each week we can’t wait to share with the other one, weekly planning spreads and designs and purchase orders!

We create space to rest and recover.

It’s simple. On Sundays we rest and recover. All the chaos and busyness of the week comes to slow pause and we create some space to heal up. During the week I do my best to fill my body with nutrient dense meals and exercise but if the week was particularly busy, I may have missed out on some opportunities to do that. Sunday allows for a quick reprieve.  If you don’t feel that you got all that you needed in the past week then pause and listen to your body. For me, sometimes it’s rest, not sleep but rest. Simply put, a body that needs a little break from constantly being in motion. To help support that rest, I’ll curl up on the couch next to the fireplace and read a nice book, so my body is getting that physical rest it needs while I am nurturing my mind with a great read!

Many of us feel that we do not have time to rest and recover. If you are feeling that you do not have time to do this then it’s all the more important you carve out time.  If you take the time to create that space to rest and recover, you will be more rested and able to tackle the upcoming week’s challenges with a fresh mind and much needed energy. To commit to a mantra that you are so busy you don’t have time to rest, is another way to create a barrier for yourself. Even when I worked full time at a high-profile job, and went to grad school, maintained a house and home I still made it a point to carve out time for myself to recover. I observed in others that to not do this meant a quick road to poor health and burnout.  You can have an active busy lifestyle, but you do need to balance it. Even if you are going and going and feel fine now, doesn’t mean that the lack of sleep and energy deprivation can’t catch up to you.

Whether it’s setting aside time for an hour-long yoga session, baking a pie, or taking a powernap with the baby or fur baby. Waking up and praising the lord, watering and talking to the house plants, journaling, and coloring your heart out, whatever it is, make creating space a priority, be intentional, and most of all empower your self to rest and recover. I wish my readers a delightful Sunday, and if this Sunday is simply too busy then make plans for next Sunday, you have the power to create space. Cheers!