Sacred Sunday: How I Reset My Energy for the Week Ahead

There was a time when Sundays used to make me anxious.

I'd spend the whole day thinking about Monday.

Everything I didn't finish.

Everything I still had to do.

Everything I was already behind on.

Then somewhere along the way I stopped trying to "prepare for Monday" and started preparing for... me.

That's a different mindset.

Now Sundays feel softer.

I don't wake up trying to cram in one last productive day before the week starts.

I wake up asking myself,

"What would make this week easier?"

Not perfect.

Not productive.

Just... easier.

For me, that usually starts with my bed.

I don't know what it is about clean sheets, but they make me feel like life isn't as chaotic as it was yesterday. 😂

It's funny because changing my sheets only takes a few minutes, but when I crawl into bed Sunday night, I always think,"Girl... thank you."

It's like leaving a little gift for Monday morning, Courtney.

Then I start picking up around the house.

Not because I'm trying to impress anybody.

Because peace feels different when your space does too.

I do it because I've noticed something.

When my environment feels peaceful...

I feel more peaceful.

I used to think healing only happened inside of us.

Now I think our homes help us heal too.

Maybe that's why I've been decorating differently.

Making rugs.

Buying books.

Playing my singing bowls.

Adding little things around my house that make me smile.

I'm slowly creating a place that feels like an exhale.

After that, I sit down and look at my calendar.

And listen...

I used to pack every single day so full that if one thing went wrong, the whole week felt ruined.

Now I'm learning to leave space.

Space to breathe.

Space to rest.

Space for life to happen.

I still write down what I need to do.

Business.

Appointments.

The gym.

Content.

All the grown-up stuff.

But I also ask myself,

"Where am I going to rest?"

Because if I don't schedule peace...

Everything else will gladly take its place.

Before I finish planning my week, I usually spend a little time writing.

Some Sundays it's just a page in my journal.

Other Sundays, I reach for Shedding because sometimes it's easier to answer a question than to stare at a blank page. I actually created it during a season when I needed help letting go of what I was carrying, and I still find myself going back to it.

Then I pray.

Not because I have all the answers.

Because I don't.

That's one of the reasons I wrote Flowers Are from God. I wanted something I could open on the days when I needed a reminder that God was still with me, even when life felt heavy.

One thing I've started doing lately is checking in with myself before I check in with my business.

Am I tired?

Am I overwhelmed?

Am I excited?

Am I avoiding something?

Some weeks I need discipline.

Some weeks I need grace.

I'm learning there's wisdom in knowing the difference.

By the time Sunday evening rolls around, I usually feel lighter.

Not because everything got done.

Honestly... it never all gets done.

I feel lighter because I spent time taking care of the person who's responsible for carrying all these dreams.

And that's me.

Maybe that's what Sacred Sunday really is.

Not a checklist.

Not another routine to master.

Just one day every week where I remind myself that I matter too.

If you don't have a Sunday routine yet, don't feel like you need to copy mine.

Start with one thing.

Wash your sheets.

Take a walk.

Write in your journal.

Sit outside.

Turn your phone off for an hour.

Do something that your future self will quietly thank you for.

Healing doesn't always happen in big moments.

Sometimes it looks like clean sheets...

A calm room...

A deep breath...

And choosing yourself before the week asks for all of you.

🌻 Continue Growing

If you're looking for a few companions on your healing journey, these are two books that were born from my own.

Shedding
A guided journal for releasing what's heavy, processing your emotions, and making room for healing.

👉 Read more or purchase Shedding here.

Flowers Are from God
A collection of prayers and reflections for the days you need hope, comfort, and a reminder that you're never walking alone.

👉 Read more or purchase Flowers Are from God here.

With love,

Courtney Swank