Living a Simple Life

Thursday Thoughts: Giving Myself a Little Grace

Well, here we are… Thursday already! 🙌

I knew this short work week was going to fly by, but goodness gracious, here we are at the end of it already. I only have about 16 more hours of work standing between me and the weekend, and honestly, that feels pretty darn good!

I had made myself a to-do list yesterday, and if you’ve been following along with my blog, you’ve probably already seen it. Did I get everything on that list accomplished?

Nope. 😂

But you know what? That’s okay.

I made the list. I have goals. I know what needs to be done, and I’m giving myself permission not to beat myself up because everything didn’t magically get checked off in one day.

So, my new goal is to have that list finished sometime between now and Sunday evening. That’s much more reasonable, don’t you think?

One thing I will be doing tonight is tackling that dryer. The clothes need to come out, get folded, and actually make their way to where they belong instead of continuing to live in the dryer. 😂

I also want to get my five work outfits together for next week. That one can happen whenever I have a little time this weekend.

And I have two pen pal letters that need to be written. I really want to sit down and enjoy doing those instead of rushing through them, so I’m hoping to carve out some quiet time for that.

I also need to pick up a few groceries. I was originally thinking about placing a small grocery pickup order, but honestly, I think I’ll just run into the store and grab what we need. It shouldn’t take long, especially since I’m only planning to spend a small amount.

Sometimes the simplest plan really is the best plan.

Work Is Going Pretty Good!

Work has actually been going well, too, and that is something I’m thankful for.

My goal right now is 12 saves a day, and yesterday I got 11. I’m not going to complain about being one short! I’m right where I need to be, and more importantly, I’m not behind and having to play catch-up.

That takes a LOT of pressure off.

I’m learning that sometimes being one save short of a goal isn’t a failure. It’s just… Tuesday. Or Wednesday. Or whatever day it happens to be. 😂

The important thing is that I’m staying on track.

What About Working From Home?

I tested my Starlink Wi-Fi yesterday, and I honestly think I could bring my workstation home and work from here.

But here’s the thing…

I don’t really want to.

I actually like having the structure of getting up, getting ready, and driving to work. I like leaving the house and going into the office. And I’m not 100% convinced that my internet connection would hold up under the workload we have at work with all the different programs we use.

The last thing I need is to be sitting at home fighting with my computer, internet, and five different programs while trying to save memberships. 😂

So for now, I’m going to keep driving to work.

If something changes and working from home becomes necessary, then I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it.

And honestly, there are bigger questions surrounding our building right now anyway.

We’ve got six air conditioners that are out, and from what I’ve heard, maintenance doesn’t want to repair them because it would put them way over budget. There are also rumors that the company may decide that the building is causing more problems than it’s worth and possibly pay the remaining three years on the lease and walk away.

Rumors are rumors, so who knows what will actually happen.

I’m just going to keep doing my job and let the powers that be figure out what they’re going to do.

A Little Financial Peace

One thing I do know is that having my car paid off has given me a different feeling about my finances.

If something happened with my job, I know I’d have to find something else, and I also know another job might not pay what I’m making now.

But I also know that Velvet is officially paid for, and that is a HUGE weight off my shoulders.

That car payment is no longer hanging over my head every month, and my plan is to put the bulk of that money into savings rather than immediately finding something else to spend it on.

That’s a pretty good feeling.

I’m not saying I have everything figured out. I definitely don’t.

But I feel like I’m building myself a little bit of a cushion, and that makes me feel more secure.

A Quick Stop After Work

After work today, I’ll be heading out to Grandpa Kendall’s to pick up Aaron’s money so I can get it to him.

I called yesterday, and I could tell he wasn’t feeling very good. I asked if he wanted me to come out after work, but he said tomorrow would be fine.

So tomorrow it is.

I also know that I need to make more time to go see him.

He’s on hospice, and that is something that weighs on my heart. Sometimes that 30-minute drive from my house feels like a lot after a long day at work. Sometimes I just don’t have it in me.

But I’m also very aware that time is something we don’t get back.

So I’m going to try to do better about making those visits happen.

I’m giving myself grace for the times I haven’t gone, but I’m also reminding myself that I can make a different choice going forward.

And maybe that’s really the theme of this Thursday.

I don’t have to do everything perfectly.

I don’t have to finish every item on my list in one day.

I don’t have to have every financial or work-related question figured out.

I just need to keep moving forward, one day at a time, and make the best choices I can with what I have.

And right now, I’m doing okay.

Actually… I’m doing pretty darn good. ❤️

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have 16 hours of work standing between me and my weekend! 😂

Thank you so much for stopping by my little corner of the internet. I hope y’all have a wonderful Thursday and an even better weekend.

Leave me a comment down below and tell me what’s on YOUR weekend to-do list. I’d love to hear from you!

Cheers,
Karen 🥂

Thursday is here!

                          

                                     Peach Skies & Little Win

Good morning, friends.

It’s 6:40 a.m., and I’m on my way to work. The sky this morning is covered in clouds, but they’re glowing with the softest peach tone. It’s one of those quiet, breathtaking moments that makes you pause and think about how big this universe really is. Sometimes that thought feels overwhelming — how small we are in the grand scheme of things. But other times, like this morning, it feels comforting. Like we’re just tiny pieces of something beautifully designed.

Yesterday had a few sweet wins, and I’m carrying that into today.

First — Luther sold his old truck. The one that doesn’t even run! He got $900 for it, and the gentleman who bought it — Rodney, who recently moved to Chickasha from California — was genuinely excited about putting some elbow grease into it. I love that. There’s something special about someone seeing potential where others might not.

That $900 is officially going toward a new refrigerator. Y’all have heard me talk about ours slowly giving up on us. So that felt like a responsible, grown-up victory. I tucked that money safely away, and hopefully by next week we’ll have a new fridge picked out and on the way. One thing at a time, right? After that, we’ll focus on getting Mr. C a used vehicle — but not until my Jeep is paid off in July. Slow and steady.

Yesterday also brought a moment that absolutely made Mr.C’s. day. Alisha called him while she was in Rome. He was over the moon. If you know him, you know he carries a lot of anxiety when family travels outside our usual circle. So hearing her voice, knowing she and Jonathan are safe and enjoying themselves, meant everything. She told him they were on their way to a food tour — which is such an Alicia thing to do. No matter where she travels — cruises, California, New York — she always finds a food tour. I love that she has that “thing” she consistently does. It makes her adventures uniquely hers.

As for today, it’s Thursday, and I’m walking into work determined to simply do my best. I’ve fallen short on my saves lately — and I’ve been honest about that. But today, instead of focusing on numbers alone, I’m focusing on the experience. Every member deserves patience, clarity, and kindness. That part is within my control. If I can give each person a good interaction, then I can walk away knowing I did my part.

And if we have downtime between calls, I am pulling out my journal. I am officially two weeks behind in February, and March is peeking around the corner with absolutely nothing planned. I’m especially motivated because of my journal swap with  Moira. We’ve been exchanging journals for years now. Through her pages, I’ve watched her girls grow up. I’ve read about milestones, hard days, celebrations — life through her eyes. That kind of friendship is rare. This current journal runs from January through the end of May, and while we don’t have rules about what goes in them — daily entries, art pages, lists — I want hers to feel as thoughtful and full as the ones she sends me.

After work, I need to swing by the post office and grab a flat rate mailer. I have the cutest little boy boots for Liam to send to Mellissa  and Trevor, and I’m adding a couple of items for Kyndall too. I may not make it before they close at 4:30, so Saturday morning might be more realistic. Sometimes the to-do list has to wait its turn.

And last night? Total tech fail. I didn’t realize how much I’d been on my tablet at work, and by 6:30 p.m. it was down to 10%. I usually unwind with YouTube, TikTok, or Pinterest, but my tablet basically said, “No ma’am.” Maybe that was my cue to unplug a little.

So here we are. A peach-colored sky. A truck sold. A refrigerator fund started. A daughter calling from across the ocean. A journal waiting to be filled. A Thursday full of opportunity to try again.

Life isn’t perfect, but it’s moving. And sometimes that’s enough.

What’s one small win you’re carrying into today?