Simple Is Better – Lessons from January 2026 - Lessons from Life

Proverbs 4:7 - The best thing about Wisdom is Wisdom herself; good sense is more important than anything else.

Gratitude 977

Does anyone else feel like this month of January has been like 90 days long?

It has for me.

I live in Wisconsin. We’ve had a bunch of cold weather. Like 60+ hours were the air temperature NEVER got above zero. The wind chill was even colder, flirting in the -40 area at times. This weekend, it will be in the 20’s. Like A LOT warmer than we’ve had in weeks! Don’t be surprised if you see someone wearing shorts this weekend if you live in Wisconsin!

And then, there is EVERY. THING. ELSE. SOOOO much. I’m not going to dissect everything here. There are so many other places where this is already happening. My reason for reflecting upon it here is I feel it is imperative to realize the constant uncertainty of what is happening takes it’s toll. Our mind, bodies and souls are not designed to withstand this constant barrage of mental and emotional whiplash. Seriously. Yes, our bodies are resilient. Let’s not forget they too have limits.

Today, I’m sharing a few lessons I have discovered and am exploring during this month-that-has-never-seemed to end. They are lessons of life. As I share these little lessons I’ve been reflecting on, I encourage you to reflect upon the lessons you’ve discovered and are exploring yourself as well.

1.     At some point, we all probably need to limit how much information we take in. Yes, it is very important for us to be informed. Yet the amount of information out there is really ridiculous. It’s too much. We shouldn’t try to ingest it all. I really don’t see this as healthy. Instead, follow trusted sources for information. Know when to read or listen to something and discern when it’s off the wall. I’m not doing a very good job myself, somedays. I’m trying to set my phone down and intentionally not follow everything going on. Hubby Rick and I discuss what we hear and read regularly. This helps us sort through what we think is more reliable and what isn’t. It’s easy to let this consume your life. DON’T.

2.     Have some routines/habits that are routine and bring normalcy to your life. When things feel chaotic, our bodies and minds yearn for something familiar. Regular. Consistent.  Exercise daily. Connect with a real person regularly. Spend a few minutes outside. Enjoy a hobby. Build these into your daily life. The goal isn’t to accomplish everyone every single day. It’s to have off-roads that feel familiar and bring guardrails to your life. Pick a few of these. Write them down. Practice them as much as possible daily.

3.     Do something that brings you JOY. One day this past week, our youngest granddaughter was at our house after school. She LOVES craft projects and often asks if I have one for us to do. We decorated handmade valentines, strung them together and made them into a string of garland. Rick’s sister, Linda, was also here and helped us get this fun little craft completed. I used a cookie cutter to trace hearts on craft paper. We painted them with watercolors and cut them out. Using a paper punch, we put two holes in top of the heart through which we strung some yarn/thread. We did this in about an hour. And it brought JOY to my heart and soul. Imagine this. Something as simple as making hearts.

4.     Find a meaningful way to serve someone else. I always think the best way to look beyond yourself is to intentionally serve/help someone else. Rarely does it take long to find someone who has a more challenging situation. Discovering how to help them is a great way to escape the challenges you face and do something wonderful for someone else. The interesting thing? While we most often do this to help someone else, in the end, we often discover something new about ourselves that is profound. Donate an hour or two of your time. Help someone with a special project. Give a ride to someone. Volunteer at a local non-profit organization. This doesn’t have to be a long-term commitment unless you want it to be because you discover it’s more interesting than you anticipated!

5.     If you are really struggling, get yourself a copy of Unraveling Together: Sharing the Threads of Grief. Bonus – read the book together with someone and discuss it. Recently, a book club used my book for their feature book. They meet virtually online. I was invited to lead the discussion. One participant shared how healing it was to chat about grief with other people. How insightful! When we share our grief, I honestly believe we discover ways to process and heal our grief. Have you joined the Sharing the Threads of Grief Facebook group? Please do! Also, this Tues., Feb. 3, I’ll be offering a free Grief with Grace virtual workshop. We’ll be explore the “Doing and Being of Grief.” It’s at 6:30 central time and free. Here’s the link to the ZOOM call: Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89824313877?pwd=JF4uo7sST42JlqxoIgQJM3tfUkXfdn.1

6.     Finally, keep in mind how precious life is. Honestly, none of us knows when our last day will be. So, make the most of every day. I’ve been reminded of this again this week as I learn about people who have died much too young. We call today “the present” because every day is a “gift.” Ponder that statement for a minute. How will you treasure the gift of today?

As you look back upon the last month, what are some life-lessons that you’ve experienced this first month of a new year? Write them down. Reflect upon them. Think about how you might shift a little bit into February. The best adjustments we make to our lives aren’t trying to make a whole bunch of changes at one time. It’s small, incremental regular changes we embrace daily.

Blessings –

Dianne

Holy God – It a time that often feels like just a lot too much, thank you for being a consistent in my life. Encourage me to think about the last month and lessons I have learned. May I always see these moments of reflect as time to spend with You and myself. Amen.

Amen.

Looking for a bit of daily inspiration? Check out my daily affirmation posts on Facebook and Instagram (Dianne Deaton Vielhuber and Simple Words of Faith.)

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