The things I will and will not do.

I'm a big fan of reading slow and sweet books on a summer day sipping iced tea. It actually is my favorite summer pass time. So, when I found the book, "Bittersweet" by Shauna Niequist, I knew I was in for a treat. In Shauna's book she talks about the things that she will and will not do. As Shauna explains that she was a people pleaser, an overbooker, and someone who just couldn't say no (if I had to guess, she'd be an enneagram 3) she admits it was exhausting to her. Now, I felt this one hard. Shauna literally wrote on paper the things that she will and will not do to set boundaries for her life.

For me, an enneagram 3, and just about everything that Shauna described, I felt this one deeply. Being in college and involved in a million activities with a million friends (which I'm so grateful for) leaves little room for me to say no to anything. At school I'm usually microwaving lunch and eating it as I'm speed walking across the quad to an event I have in 2 minutes. Anyone else have a similar lifestyle? Like Shauna said, it's draining.

I grabbed my notebook, favorite Tombow pen, and began writing. I wrote everything in my head of what I would and wouldn't do. If it gave me life, or gave life to others around me, it stayed as the things I will do (in good moderation). If it didn't give life or wasn't positive, I put it as the things I wouldn't do! I wrote everything from the big and obvious ones down to the tiny, silly things. So with you today, I'm sharing some of what I wrote and I hope this inspires you to write your own list!

The things I will do:

1) Cook and bake. Food gives life to me and others around me. And who says no to fresh baked brownies?

2) Make time to read the Bible. 7 am or 11 pm it's the same Bible, don't sweat it if you don't read it every morning at exactly 7 am.

3) Exercise because it feels good to me, not for a body image.

4) Listen first, and then help others.

The things I won't do:

1) Get Tiktok. I know everyone has it, but just from what I've seen, I'll be playing the self doubt/comparison game all day on it.

2) Going out when I don't want to. (Hey, staying in with pizza rolls and Hallmark can be just as fun)

3) Spending time comparing myself on social media. This is an addition to # 1, but is true for all my other socials.

4) Make my bed and have my room looking perfect every day. Of course I will keep it clean, but I can not keep up with a perfectly tidy room every day. And making my bed every day? Heck no.

5) Saying yes to an activity I do not want to do at college just because my friends are.

I hope some of these ideas inspired you, or you got a laugh out of them! :) Setting these boundaries physically on paper is truly a game changer for reminding me what is giving life to me and what isn't. I have the book "Bittersweet" linked for you to buy if you want to read all the other inspiring things in there. Just click the shop my style tab!