I stole this idea from Pip Lincolne at Meet Me at Mikes. I haven’t seen her writing it for a while, but I remember she’s always invited everyone to take stock on their own blogs. So here we go.
I wrote the title and felt it may be a little bit overambitious. Does writing the date this way mean that I’m planning to write this monthly letter for at least a year? Can I do this? Will I do this? I definitely want to try, as I love reading this kind of summaries. I like seeing how our lives move throughout a month, a year, sometimes even a day.
Let’s try it then.
Making: myself write more. I haven’t been writing for a few weeks now and it’s taking its toll on my mental health. Writing is important to me and I need to keep doing it.
Getting: too many books from the library. I just can’t stop myself when I see something while sorting out the shelves at work. Maybe I should find another job?
Cooking: lots of pasta dishes and lately a delicious pumpkin, parsnip and carrot soup. I made the base, my husband added some spices and it was the best pumpkin based soup I’ve ever had.
Sipping: lot’s of tea and hot water with lemon or honey. With lemon in the morning and with honey at work. It keeps me warm.
Reading: The Dark by Sharon Bolton on my Kindle. Bestsellerboy by Mano Bouzamour (in Dutch), which I’ll probably finish today and move to Aunti Poldi and the Sicilian Lions by Mario Giordano, but then in Dutch.
Thinking: a lot about how I want to live my life and…
Dreaming: about my life’s vision.
Remembering: how great I felt when I was writing daily.
Looking: at world with my eyes wide open.
Wishing: for a cooler and calmer (literally and figuratively speaking) world.
Enjoying: the colours of this year’s autumn.
Appreciating: the support I get from my husband and a few other people. Also my readers here and on my blog.
Wanting: to be more focused on what’s important to me and
Liking: the beginning of The Way of the Fearless Writer by Beth Kempton.
Loving: this sentence I’ve read today in The Way of the Fearless Writer by Beth Kempton:
What if we really lived our lives, moment to moment, and wrote about that?
It speaks to me so much. I want to be this person, this writer.
Buying: some comforting books I’ll plan to read during the winter.
Watching: The Blacklist on Netflix. And amazingly calming videos of Martijn Doolaard on YouTube.
Hoping: To get myself closer to the life I want to live every day.
Wearing: warm sweaters and double socks at home. Comfortable clothing at work.
Walking: I wish. I still need to adjust to my working schedule before I can start walking again.
Noticing: how many things there are I wish I was doing and realising that the way to my life’s vision is through doing all those things right now, not somewhere in the future.
Saving: for an e-bike. I really want to be able to cycle more and use the car less. I wrote about it a little in my latest Morning Stories letter.
Waiting: for a politician who will dare to have a vision and go for it and help us stop the climate crisis. I’m so very tired of the responsibility being pushed towards citizens without expecting the same from the big companies and the governments themselves.
Bookmarking: lots of posts by Lisa Olivera, here on Substack.
Feeling: a bit low, but luckily knowing the way out of this.
Listening: to the birds singing in my garden every day.
What would taking stock look like for you this month?