FIGS Week 1

In the haste of my “week that went haywire“, I fell a little out of touch with blogs/ blogging and never officially declared my intent to participate in Elisabeth’s annual “Finding Joy in Gratitude” Collective (aka- FIGs!).

When she posted the first week’s summary this morning, I realized- hey, I can still participate! Because I actually already collect FIGs (small things or moments of happiness) on a daily basis, year-round.

I have done this in both an analog form and a digital form over the years (I’m currently back to my digital tracker in 2026). I know I’ve shared about this before, but as a refresher, the bottom part of my “journal spreadsheet” has the following sections:

I fill this out first thing every morning (for the previous day), in bullet point format. (For workout, I just list what I did, e.g. “Full body strength #1”. For walk, I’ll just list “short loop x2” or “25 min”. Screen is the total from my screen time tracker app. Listen = what podcasts or music I listened to. Read= what book I read, if any…. Watch= what show/ content/movie I watched, if any. B/L/D/S = my meals.)

I do typically share a round-up of the Happy/Gratitude/Bummers in my monthly recap anyway, but I know those recaps can be a lot (too much, probably, lol). So I figured I’ll join the FIG Collective this month and share my FIGs weekly this month! 🙂

Monday, February 2:

• an empty grocery store (early a.m.)
• a “dialed in” afternoon where I was super productive
• the hot tub
• weather warm enough to walk the “long loop” (and actually ENJOY IT)
• church + dinner out with Ethan

Tuesday, February 3:

• phone call with SHU 🙂
• my new February workouts are great! (From Chat GPT…I have a 3x/week full body strength plan with a new set of gym workouts each month.)
• the sun!

Wednesday, February 4:

• post-game drinks with my volleyball team at a new bar/grill in town just a block from home. (Let’s not talk about the actual game…. the other team had a much younger and very skilled girl on it (did they not get the memo that this league is mostly middle-aged “used to be good but now we’re just getting kinda old and mediocre” people on it?!?) who served absolute bullets and made us all look like children trying to return her serves!!)
• lots of laughing (see above)
• a good cardio workout on my lunch
• my gym being so close to my house

Thursday, February 5:

• a free iced tea at Kwik Trip! (there was a slight issue with the machine which was only a very minor inconvenience but they gave it to me for free anyway!)
• help from a coworker
• the boys not needing rides from me

Friday, February 6:

• phone with my dad
• Charlie- his little face! He’s soooo innocent and sweet.
• figuring out something confusing at work that now makes more sense
• a cold fountain Coke! (out with Iván)
• finally have 2 functioning computer monitors!

Saturday, February 7:

• watching Asher swim
• the Olympics
• swim team camaraderie at the team breakfast
• dozing off on the couch when I was exhausted

Sunday, February 8:

• the hot tub (guess I listed this one twice this week! I guess I really love the hot tub. Elisabeth I wish you would get one!! You have the perfect spot behind your house and I think you-and your entire family- would looooove it…..)
• yummy baked goods
• holding Iván’s cousin’s new puppy “Canelo” (who is related to Charlie!!)
• white space in the morning

If you’re not doing Elisabeth’s FIG Collective, it’s not too late to join in! 🙂 Visit her site for the details and even a fun printable to track on, if you want.

The great thing about doing this type of exercise is that it really helps give perspective. In my head, I have felt really stressed this past week. I have complained a lot. I have felt tired. I have felt weary. I have felt out of sorts. If you asked me at any random point in the last 5 days how I was, I probably would have answered, “Eh, meh.”

But clearly, looking at the above, that is NOT ALL I FELT this week! It’s so easy to want to focus on the big, glaring negatives that like to be all up in your face (in our own lives, heads, and also from society as a whole). Intentionally reflecting on the good things also happening is sooooo good for me.

Because the truth is, despite some tough things this week, I also felt energized sometimes (walking in the sun, after a cardio workout). I laughed multiple times (phone with SHU! Volleyball friends! Getting puppy kisses!). I relaxed in the hot tub. I spent time with my family (1:1 with Ethan, out with Ivan, Asher’s swim meet and breakfast, phone with my dad, a Super Bowl party with extended family). I exercised my body multiple times and felt good while doing that. People did kind things for me (help at work, a free iced tea!). Many things did go my way. I ate good food.

This was not a bad week!!! Even though my brain is trying to tell me it was. 🙂

On that note, I’m off to get my day going. I had to drop Iván at the airport at 5 am so I was up early today. I love watching him go off to Mexico on his own. He is always so excited- like, giddy, it’s so cute!- when he does these solo Mexico trips to see his family. It’s the best. 💕 (And his parents don’t know he’s coming this time! His brother is picking him up at the airport in Mexico City. It was just his dad’s birthday on Sunday. I hope he enjoys every minute!!!)