10 Things I Learned in February

At the end of each month, I write a post about things I learned. This practice has helped me pay attention to life, myself, and God's presence. In no particular order, here are 10 things I learned in February:

1. How to make homemade puff pastry. It's surprisingly easy, and you can make wonderful cherry turnovers. Recipe to come soon.

2. Quitting the right things is just as important as doing the right things. It's liberating. Quit a few things this week, friends!

3. I love yoga. For some reason, yoga has always sounded like a weird way to spend my time. Slow breathing, meditation and stretching? No thanks, I'd rather do cardio. But recently, my brother suggested I try yoga as a means of relaxation and pain prevention. I started with a few simple 10-minute routines, and now I can't get enough! I truly feel so much more limber, strong, peaceful, and present.

4. A weekend retreat with some of my dearest friends can give me such an infusion of joy.

Me, with my fabulous friends Jeanne, Nicole, and Susan.

5. It's never too late to get into The West Wing. I knew it was a fantastic show, but just never had the chance to see it until last week. And now I'm completely hooked. 

6. Alex can now climb into the bathtub by herself. In pajamas. While I am distracted by the Oscars on television.

7. Having a purposeful life necessitates embracing who you are and what you've been given. I've been in a personal process of identifying some of my strengths with the help of Strengthsfinder, and learning how to capitalize on them.

8. If I could marry a pair of pants, these Spalding Capri Leggings would be my beloved chosen. They are comfortable, fit really well, are great for my relatively active lifestyle.

9. Life without cable is so much better. We cut out our monthly cable service, and are enjoying life with less bills to pay! Plus, with all the television content available online for free, who needs cable?

10. How to upgrade my morning routine.