I hit a wall.

If this were a real wall, it would have been made out of that pokey stucco, or maybe an electrified fence.

I was doing great with the whole quarantine thing until... I wasn't.

I was getting exercise. I was staying busy with homeschooling my kids and doing house projects. What I didn't realize is that the cumulative weight of this huge life change was weighing on me, and I wasn't dealing with it. I was stuffing it down.

Then I watched Tiger King and the tears flowed because that show is SAD. And I realized - Oh! I have a lot of big feelings lurking under there.

Let's stop and take inventory. How are you really doing? How are you coping?

I decided to try a new, BRIEF morning routine to help me unburden myself and focus for the day, and it's been very helpful.

Want to try it out? It's simple.

I get my coffee and then sit at my desk before my day really starts. I write the following in a journal (nothing fancy), but you can do it verbally or wherever. (Okay actually, I have to tell you I love my little inexpensive journal because it's the perfect size, and I'm a sucker for office products.) Moving on.

1. OFFLOAD. I write in brief, bullet point style whatever stuff is on my mind, what feels heavy, what I've been worrying about over the last day or since I woke up. Maybe 5 things spring to mind and I just jot them down with no judgment or editing. It's not a to-do list for later. It's just for the purpose of dumping what's on my mind.

2. GRATITUDE. I briefly write down 4-5 things I'm grateful for. Some of them are big, like a house to live in, and some are small, like "Today is my friend's birthday." Just bullet points.

3. SCRIPTURE. I read one scripture. The idea is to keep this time brief so I will want to do it again. I have been using the scripture of the day from the Bible app but you can use whatever appeals to you. I wouldn't go for Numbers at this juncture though. ;) I write the verse down in my little journal.

4. PRAYER. After having offloaded, and been grateful, and written a scripture, I usually have a prayer on the tip of my tongue, kind of magic like. Writing things out has a way of unsticking the primary prayer of my heart. I write it down, briefly, as everything else.

5. WORSHIP/QUIET. I play a worship or peaceful/instrumental song and I sit still and listen and breathe for about 3 minutes. (I literally lock my door because it is Murphy's Law that 100 children will come in during this time otherwise.)

THAT'S IT. It's simple. It's doable. It's one small page of writing. Then I feel so much better. I feel lighter.

If you are feeling stuck, or wanting an easy morning routine that sets your heart on a good path, try this out all week and let me know how it goes! Ta

What are some other ways you unburden yourself? If a morning routine isn't a help for you, think of something else practical you can do today to lighten the mental load.