2 Lessons I Learned from Being Jealous Over an Instagram Post
February 09, 2017
Jealousy is an ugly thing. I'm not a jealous person by nature. Really I'm not. I love my life and I'm not one to look at someone's else's purse with envy, or wish my home looked like the neighbours' or keep up with the Joneses and in any way. I know that I love the purse I have, it's pretty and the inside is organised the way I like it. I know my home is decorated in a style I love, even if it will rarely be tidy with 6 children at home.
I also know that when true feelings of jealousy crop up, it goes deeper than just wanting a new handbag.
So, when I saw this fantastic photo on Instagram that April from Blackburg Belle posted the week before last, I got a big wave of envy. I couldn't even bring myself to like the picture and instead I clicked my phone off in a huff, not even sure why I was feeling so crappy.
This photo stayed on my mind, though, and I realised I was jealous. So I went back to look at it and I asked myself what about it made me so jealous. I knew it wasn't the pretty handwriting or the awesome bullet journal because I like my pretty handwriting and my own bullet journal. I knew I wasn't jealous of April herself, even if she is pretty awesome! If we swtiched lives her dogs would suffer because I hate going for walks and I love ice cream too much to give up dairy ;) There was something else that way bugging me, something bigger.
I soon figured out that I was jealous of her schedule!
Not her specific schedule, but the fact that she had one that was so clear are organised. My own daily schedule had been getting realy fuzzy around the edges lately and I was already feeling out of sorts before I saw April's picture, it only brought everything to the surface. For the past few months, I've only been doing what needs to done, going from event to event, deadline to deadline. Putting out fires if you will. Prepping for Christmas takes soooo much time for me. Then, I got sick in January. Now that things are settling back into normal days, I have a lot less on my plate. Eventhough I have more time and lots that I'd like to do, I found that I wasn't actually accomplishing any thing at all.
I sat down last Saturday and really worked out what I wanted February to look like, what I wanted to accomplish and what I wanted to feel. And I set myself a new schedule... in pencil. I've been using that pencilled out schedule for the past week and a half to see if it was actually do-able. I did a little tweaking and I'm feeling pretty great about it now. I know that all of these things won't happen everyday, if I have an appointment or some other thing that needs doing I won't be able to stick to the schedule. and thanks OK! Even in the few days that I've been following it, I've gotten a lot more accomplished than I imagined when I set out last weekend.
In this video, watch me as I decorate my morning schedule. I keep the style light and spacious to reflect the feeling of calm I want to have in my mornings. I also pull in a touch of April's style to remind me of her inspiration. I'll add it to my Traveller's Notebook to have on hand until it becomes second nature.
Because I sat down and took the time to work it all out, my days run much smoother and my heart is grateful and no longer jealous. I LOVE that!
So, what are those 2 lessons that I learned?
Here they are:
- If you are jealous of something, ask yourself why. I'm sure there is a deeper reason than 'their purse is prettier'. If it is a handbag you are envying, for example, maybe it could be because money is tight for you right now and you'd like to be able to afford a new purse. If it's because their purse is small and minimal while yours is stocked full of diapers and toys, maybe you are just looking for a little break and an outing on your own where you won't need to take snacks and diapers. Knowing why you are jealous may not lead you to be able to fix your problems immediately. Maybe with a little work, you can improve it, like I did, maybe not. However, simply knowing what is deep in your heart can relieve that looming feeling and set your heart a bit at ease.
- If your schedule isn't working for you, even if 6 months ago it was completely perfect, set aside some time to figure out why it's not working. What's missing? What is too much, right now? And what do you really want your day to look and feel like? It's more than ok to tweak your schedule or change it completely. If you are starting with a fresh new schedule, know that it will take quite awhile for you to adjust to these new habits so give yourself some grace and some time.
I've created a new post on the topic of schedules, the popular morning routine, in particular. Everyone says that you NEED a morning routine, and I'm here to help you figure out how to find one that works for you. No worries, there's no getting up at 5:15 for yoga and meditation if that's not your thing! And if it is, well, then, I've got you covered too! Pop on over to this post to not only learn how to create your own peaceful, yet powerful morning routine, but also to get a free workbook to help you along the way.
7 Steps to Create a Morning Routine that is Peaceful, Powerful and Perfect for YOU
Happy Planning!