Before this week, I’m not sure if I’ve ever taken a week away from the blog that wasn’t preplanned. Nothing traumatic happened—just regular, run of the mill, pain-in-the-neck stuff that happens when you have kids and everybody needs you all at once. (More details on my Instagram.) To be honest, I didn’t mind the break. If you’re a regular, you’ve probably noticed I’m blogging a little less and as happens with many of us in January, I’m doing some reevaluating.

china cabinet (thrifted) //  orchid  //  planner  //  decorative box

If I can be completely candid here (and I guess I can), I’m feeling a little burned out on the whole online scene lately. I still really enjoy the act of blogging itself, but as a reader and observer, it sometimes feels as if everything is starting to feel the same. Same ideas, same looks, same lingo. There’s nothing wrong with that, necessarily, but I find myself longing for authenticity more and more. Even though I KNOW it’s not all real life and much of what we see is staged by a team of people, I still find myself getting caught up in the comparison game like most of us do. It’s hard to figure out where a 40-year-old woman with a houseful of kids and limited online time fits into all of this madness.

Since this is a rambling-type post, I’ll go ahead and keep rambling about some work-related changes I feel I need to make for 2017. . .

Simplified ideas. That’s the theme of my blog, after all. Although I don’t plan to go back to churning out a post every day, I would like to offer more quick and easy decorating ideas. I’m going to try to remind myself to take a quick picture of the thing that’s making me most happy around our house at the moment and share it on blog (not just to Instagram). I love when I see something really easy that somebody has done that I’ve just never thought about but can easy replicate—don’t you?

Blinders on! When you feel yourself getting caught up in the anxiety of “I need to do more”, it’s usually time to readjust your focus. (Philippians 4:8)Taking a step back from tuning into what everybody else is doing 24 hours a day on social media is a good start. We all know it’s a time suck, but I wonder how it also affects my perspective of the blessings right in front of me.

A designated workspace. I finally have my own spot to work in our house, but I will admit to usually grabbing my laptop and plopping down in the kitchen or living room in front of a TV. I don’t like this habit because I don’t focus as well and it doesn’t feel like there’s a starting or stopping point to my work time. My goal is to “go into” my office more to sit down and work uninterrupted while the kids are in school. (Some music and an uncluttered desk top make things a little better, too.)

Fresh air. I am so selfish with the few precious hours I have when all five kids are in some type of school during the week. In the past, I’ve fallen into the not-so-great habit of working the entire time I’m alone and then sometimes feeling like I never had any break at all. I need to get back to taking 30 minutes to get outside, walk around the neighborhood and listen to a podcast. It makes me happy. It also makes me feel better. There are also a few foods I should give up but one step at a time. . . (I’m admitting to just shoveling five handfuls of Frosted Flakes into my mouth while writing the last couple of paragraphs. #ilovesugar)

So, it all sounds good—right? Thanks for this little talk. I feel better already. Are you making any changes or doing anything to regroup lately? I want to know.