The June Ramble

Hello! Hi! How are you? We’ve got just 2 1/2 days left in the month, so this seems like a good time to wind up the month with a ramble.

How have you been? I know a lot of people have checked in via instagram or reading my Ramble from Japan, but I’d love for you to leave a comment on this post today and let me know what you’re looking forward to this summer.

Yes, really! The next couple days are a great time to reassess and check out these Things I Do at the Start of a New Month. That’s what I’m doing this weekend.

90-Day Planning

Since it’s the beginning of a new quarter as well as a new month, I’m also starting a new journal for Q3. I have a set of questions that I answer for myself every three months. It’s part of my overall 90-day planning.

Here are the questions I review every few months, inspired by Be Your Future Self Now and The Gap and the Gain:

• Where am I now?
• What are the wins of the my last 90 days?
• What are the wins of the my next 90 days?
• Who is my future self in 12 months?
• Who is my future self in 3 years?

Recent & Future Wins

Obviously, taking 6 people to Japan in a trip I planned all by myself is one of my wins of Q2. Was it perfect? Absolutely not. Are we thankful for the trip? You betcha.

It’s taken about a week for everyone’s sleep and rhythms to get on track. Okay, a little more than a week, since it’s now Saturday and I’m not yet on the ball with my regular responsibilities.

To be honest, I’ve been reflecting on what to do with the next chapter of my life. This summer is another of transition. Coming back from an epic trip has me reflective.

FishChick16 will be a senior. One or two of the boys may be moving out in the next year. And life keeps getting more expensive.

While last summer I leaned into my homemaker life, this summer is to figure out how I can contribute more to our finances. I have floated lots of ideas into my stream of consciousness, including but not limited to applying to a part-time job for another blogger and looking into editing and proofreading certification programs.

I don’t yet have clear answers as to where to put my energies, the same theme rises to the top: How can I turn a profit on what’s in front of me?

It’s a concept I’ve heard the ladies from What Have You say often, “How can you turn a profit on this circumstance or this challenge or this gift or this blessing?”

We aren’t talking solely about money here, so keep that in mind.

I suppose it’s another way of saying, “How can you be faithful where you are?”

How can you bloom where you’re planted?

It brings to mind the parable of the talents. Jesus wants us to do something with the stuff He gives us. Burying it doesn’t turn a profit on it.

Neither does standing still in indecision.

That’s kinda where I ended up in all this contemplation, but I think I turned a corner yesterday when I watched an Instagram reel from a finance blogger. The topic was “how to grow your net worth” which isn’t exactly my focus.

But, on second thought, maybe it is. Net worth. Life’s work. On a spiritual and emotional level, they might actually have some overlap if we think outside of money and look at the value of our work.

Anywho, her 3rd point was “maximize the income I already have” which I would reword or reframe to say, “maximize the WORK I already have”.

I have lots of tasks and responsibilities in front of me, including homemaking, homeschooling, managing our finances, and meeting my responsibilities to my readers and e-store clients.

I’ve got plenty of things to do without looking for more things to do. And I can improve/maximize my work toward those things. I have not yet exhausted these opportunities to serve and build.

Too long didn’t read: I’ve come to the basic conclusion that vacation is over and it’s time to get back to work.

I hope that all makes sense. Leave a comment and let’s chat!

In other news…

What I’m reading: I read two books in the last week that were phenomenal. Reverie by Drew Taylor and Peace Like a River by Leif Anger. Definitely recommend them both.

What I’m eating: I am down ten pounds since Christmas. Hallelujah. I’m trying to eat lots of salads.

What I’m watching: This year, I’ve leaned more toward books than film or TV, but I did watch The Accountant this week (twice!) and thought it was brilliant. Skip the sequel; it wasn’t as good.

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