Pecan Grove Guidance

06/28/2021

My aunt painted this chair for me when I was a toddler. I’m unsure if I ever sat on it, but it’s always been a home for a book or one of my teddy bears (I have several from when I was little and always in the hospital)

Even with care, it’s worn and chipped and in need of repair - but in no way is it less lovely. I probably wouldn’t get a dime for it but it’s invaluable to me.

Regardless of your wear, you are invaluable.

There is no measure of your worth because you are not a commodity.

You are a delight. You are loved.

Regardless of who told you different we are all mud and stardust.

06/17/2021

There's no reason you have to sit down at a table or the couch or a chair with a plate or a bowl and eat.

There's health benefits to it. There's something good about that slowing down

But if you're executive dysfunction means you never get to food because you can't get pass opening the fridge - just stand in front the fridge and eat

Grab some cheese
Eat an apple
Pick at some deli meat
Eat a slice of bread.

Congrats! you just had lunch!

06/08/2021

I can get paralyzed starting a project simply because I don't have the right color sticky notes. Don't do that. Give yourself permission to doing things in an ugly way if they get the job done. I'm constantly on the lookout for new productivity apps because it's part of my job, but that pursuit can't overtake the task that needs to be done. Choose effective over efficient.

06/07/2021

Will your definition of an intentional life be met by answering these calls? Are the reasons you say to yourself that convincing? What is having weak work/home boundaries giving you that strong boundaries can't? Does this outweigh the negative?

Let's work together to see if we can't find those boundaries and the ability to not answer your phone.

05/23/2021

Slow down on this Sunday and enjoy what being productive gives you - time. Rest today and delight in the fact that you have boundaries. Say "no" joyfully. Don't use productivity to be busy. Use the powers of productivity to let go of the idea that everything is urgent.

05/19/2021

Look at your calender, is there anything you're dreading? Is it something you said "yes" to when you wanted to say "no."? Considering saying "I've changed my mind."
There are a lot of times we can't change because it would be truly irresponsible, but there's more times than you realize where you can say 'I've changed my mind." "I will not be able to teach Sunday School this fall." "I cannot create this from scratch, I need to buy some parts."

See if you can create an empty space somewhere, if you're feeling like there's too much (and then don't try to fill it back up!)

05/16/2021

This is what DOES work for me, a repetitive to-do list. Trying to remember to create a new one each day is a no. Memory problems mean I need help seeing what I need to do, but also that I can't remember to make a list.
It's a cycle that would have been a lot easier to set up for myself if I had had support, a reminder.

05/15/2021

This notepad is 10 years old. I love pretty notebooks. It's supposed to be so I can write things down, but if that were true it would be used up. If notepads aren't nailed down, they're a bit useless to me

What's a standard of productivity that doesn't work for you?

05/14/2021

Here's the tea on productivity: be compassionate with yourself. Feeling like a failure because the happiness planner doesn't work for you will not make you more productive. Knowing your own rhythms, highs and lows, will help you be productive enough. Which is what you want, not necessarily MORE.

05/13/2021

Be a friend today. Reach out. Give love and guidance and a shoulder. Your friends have dreams, goals, hopes, - and fears. Steady them. Help them navigate the rapids around us. Cheer them on as they climb their mountains. We all do so much better when we work from strong, supportive foundation

05/04/2021

The line between doing something uncomfortable because it’s good for you vs doing an uncomfortable thing because you’ve been conditioned to do it is wildly thin.

I hate waking up. Not just early. In general. I’ll tell myself “You don’t need to get up this early. That’s capitalism fooling you into a false definition of productivity”

Except I really enjoy my days that start early. I feel calmer. I feel composed. I feel slower, which is a huge value for me.

We don’t want to buy into the lie that capitalism feeds us about productivity, but we shouldn’t throw away a habit of it does feed our personal values.

For me that means my last caffeine at 2, bed by 10, and up at 7. If I do that, my chores are usually finished by 9 and my day can focus on existing.

04/09/2021

Pecan Grove Guidance was created out of a desire to support those who want help and accountability with a slower, more intentional life. We believe that being is just as important as doing and they aren't mutually exclusive.

04/09/2021