Many years ago, a very wise woman wrote, "If you don't like your life, change it." It took a few years after reading her book to put that advice to my life, but I finally did in a couple of areas. I continue to make changes as needed to make my life even better. As I mentioned last week, the stresses of my life are playing havoc with me. So this week, I did exactly as I'd planned to do to divest myself of some of those stresses.
The massage was great -- so good, in fact, that I bought a membership in their wellness program, entitling me to a free massage each month. My next one is in two weeks and I cannot wait. I'd love to have a weekly one, but right now, I can't be that indulgent. After next June when Pearl is paid for.... maybe! But once a month is easy enough. So that's a plus! I think what I appreciated most was just finally being able to let go for a little while and be present in that moment, to know that all I had to do was be there and allow someone else to take the controls for just a sliver of time. For a control freak like myself, that was a major milestone. To simply be. Not to do anything; just be.
For my sleep debt issue, one big step that I took this week was to forgo caffeine after 3:00 PM -- at least as much as possible. I forgot and had unsweetened tea a couple of times. Even on those nights I found myself winding down earlier, about 30 minutes on average. Hey, that means I'm getting six hours instead of five-and-a-half. And guess what? No catnaps on lunch hour either. Oh my. Imagine that. Baby steps, but important ones.
Working out more regularly this week has helped too -- and bonus points for hitting the gym on the Fourth! Besides the good that it does my body, it does my mind and soul good too. At least it's made me forget everything else while concentrating on correct form (and the routine itself!) Amazing how just being there in the moment helps this part of my life as well.
I think that's been key this week: simply being there, in the moment, when I needed to be.
Not to say I still don't have some stress..... Tuesday was crazy with early payroll and forgetting that a couple of folks were out of the office all week. DUH. I haven't yet heard back about my labwork from last week, so they will be getting a call from me tomorrow. Regardless of what the numbers may or may not say, I know that something is not right, and I am determined to find the answers. And I surely didn't like what the scale said earlier today .... kind of kvetched about that in the car on the way home tonight. But you know, really, it is what it is. And I know what it takes to succeed, and now I can let it go.
For all these things, the answer is simple: Visualize and attack.... yeah, just like in The Waterboy. Visualize what I want and go for it. Whether it's weight loss or maintenance, stress relief, time management, new workouts, you just have to visualize and attack. Picture what you want. Focus on it. Determine how you are going to make it happen. Plan accordingly. Attack. Evaluate. Re-focus. Begin again. Every moment, every day.
Are there things beyond my control? Uh, did the sun rise in the east this morning? Will it set in the west? OF COURSE. I have come to the belief that somehow the universe allows us just the amount of control that we should have and the rest lies in a power beyond us. ("Wise, but you have much to learn, grasshopper!") Yet that does not absolve us from acting upon the things that we can control -- and doing so with the best of our ability, enthusiasm, drive, and power.
Visualize and attack. Sounds like a great plan for this week. Control what the universe allows me, and quit fretting over what is not in my power and control. Yep.... it's gonna be good this week.
I leave you with a quote from Helen Keller: "So much has been given to me; I have no time to ponder over that which has been denied." POWERFUL.
Go forth and conquer!!
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