March Intentional

Are you intentional with your time? I’m starting off strong today, but if you think about it, what are you doing right now? Chances are you were probably scrolling social media, saw my post about a blog update, and now, here you are. What were you hoping to accomplish while online? Do you ever think about it?

I mentioned in this post that I wanted to be more intentional this year. I always choose a “Word of the Year” rather than making New Year’s Resolutions. 2020’s word is INTENTIONAL. I want to thrive more than survive, live rather than exist. Do you understand what I’m saying? How do you spend your time?

In keeping with my goal to be more intentional, I’m sharing a few things at the beginning of each month that I will be doing that intentionally uses my time. March, get ready for me because I have a ton planned for you!

I wear a lot of hats, but my most important role is Mommy. In fact, he has only now started saying “Mama”, and it melts my heart each and every time. I travel a lot – I love my work, and I love visiting new places in my state – but at the end of the day, being a mom is the most important job I have. I’m blessed to have a career that allows me to do what I love AND be a stay at home mom. Liam is the best. He’s wild, rowdy, loud, and every other adjective that describes a one year old boy. My time with him is precious, so I want to be INTENTIONAL with it. We read, craft, roll on the floor, sit outside, and many other fun things together. The key word is together – uninterrupted, focused time with my little man. This first year has already flown, so I’m just holding on and soaking up every moment with Baby Bounds. We call our outings “adventures”, and March will take us on a really big adventure (but I’m keeping it a secret for now!)

While I plan to be more INTENTIONAL with my time with Liam, I also plan to spend more time with my dad. He retired at the end of 2019, so he has more time on his hands – and very few people to spend it with. His beloved pet passed away (she was the first pet I ever had and adored her so much). He and mom have been married 42 years next month, and she’s been in the nursing home for 10 of those years and wasn’t mentally or emotionally with him for years before that. Please don’t feel sorry for Daddy-O because he has found his reason for living – Liam. I’ve never talked to my dad or seen him more since I moved out of his house. I’m so thankful for how much he loves my son (and Chihuahua!), so we plan to spend INTENTIONAL time with Pop.

My name is Jean Claire, and I am a goofball. I’m always the ham, the joker, center of attention, however you want to put it. Mostly, I just want to make people laugh. I didn’t truly come out of my shell until my last few years of high school, and it wasn’t until college that I really found myself. I love to make people laugh. It’s also incredibly healing. I plan to be more INTENTIONAL with the way I treat people by, hopefully, making them laugh!

What do you do for yourself? Do you set aside INTENTIONAL time to pursue your own interests? Do you not have time because your kids take all of it? That’s on you, friend. You can’t give your entirety of spare time to your kids. You still have to live your life and live up to God’s calling on it. While being a parent is my most important role, it is not my only one. Liam, Judson, family, my time with God, church activities, work, and my last semester of grad school take up a lot of time. But, I still have time for me (less than I’d like). If I can do it, you can do it. Jud gives me time to go sit in a bubble bath and read. When I’m alone at my hotel on work trips I read, shop, or just veg out in a soft comfy bed (that doesn’t smell like baby spit up or dog funk – I’m looking at you Peanut!). My goal is to read 75 books this year. I’m on #13. FYI – if you want to follow along with what I’m reading, you can find my Goodreads page here.

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There you have it! Four ways I will be more INTENTIONAL this month. I would love to hear how you are INTENTIONAL with your time. Give me all your thoughts in the comments. Thanks so much for stopping by and making INTENTIONAL use of your time!