Now this is brave...
I don't like to toot my own horn but I'm kind of a brave person. Not in the sense of running fearlessly into a burning building to save kittens or orphans or Obama. But on a smaller scale, like picture a small scale, then picture a scale way way way smaller then that one. I'm talking about the everyday tasks that seem ever so daunting when you're in a yucky state of mind. When uninspired there's a sense that there's no point in doing anything, no reason to outdo yourself, no choice but to not try, not care so much and just live life on auto-pilot mode.
This weekend I got the pleasure of working my first football game! I watched the McMaster Marauders take on Laurier University from the side lines. What I learned are the following; someone will get hurt every 7-10 minutes, don't stand to close to the side lines and someone will definitely get hurt! There's so much mental as well as physical training that goes into the game and so much work in and out of stadium to that goes unseen that ensures that everything goes well. With that said, this weeks post is about the work, mindset, motivation that happens behind the scenes of our lives before we present ourselves to the world. With that said, I just wanted to say that we're all different and have different things that we need to tackle and wrestle our way out of. The following list is a list of items that are so simple that I wouldn't put them on a to-do list on a good day. But on a not so good day, week or month this is a list of things that require a personalized motivational speech before being considered as an accomplishment...
Starting off the day on the right foot
Getting out of bed
Stop counting how many classes/gym sessions I can miss before it's a problem (and basing my decisions off of that)
Getting clean
showering
wearing real clothes (put on some jeans already)/wash clothes
combing hair
tidying room (taking out the trash)
get rid of dead plants
Health
Having water by my bed and drinking it ✓
Respect my alarm clock
Establish night routine- putting in my retainer, flossing, changing into pjs instead of falling asleep however and wherever
No laptop in bed
Actually show up to yoga class ✓
Go grocery shopping/cook something, literally anything
Calm down with the comfort food
Stop pushing back my appointments and see my advisors, doctors etc. ✓
Quitting coffee- This story is going to sound pretty basic but bare with me. So the other day I passed by Starbucks, before heading to my night class, and ordered a Grande Blonde coffee with Almond milk. They didn't have the blond roast or any almond milk, which literally makes up the whole drink! But hey no need to panic over something so minor. The barista then served me some sort of dark roast with red eye (which I later found out means two shots of espresso) and coconut milk. The barista then felt really bad that I didn't get anything I ordered and offered me a nitrogen infused Nitro cold brew shot. After this overload of coffee I was sweaty and all panicky. Why? Because I'm awful with caffeine yet have been drinking it everyday for the last 3 months. All this to say, that it's time to switch back to the orange pekoe tea (or a small light roast).
Finding the why- the reason behind why we want to pursue/achieve whatever we're striving for
Getting out of our own way
Keep it moving when all you want to do is stay in bed
Going back to the gym
Rolling out the mat and doing a 20 min flow ✓
Run- I haven’t ran in awhile, yes I’ve ran as cardio before a workout but I haven’t ran ran
Selfcare
Take care of myself (with a mani-pedi of course)
Stop self sabotaging- I found this podcast at a time that many would call divine intervention
List priorities
Self care >< hustle- find your perfect balance between work and relaxation so you don't end up overworking or just relaxing
Watch out for negative self-talk
Treat yourself- with retail therapy or doesn't have to cost a thing #yourpick
Be easy on yourself
Pray/Meditate and be alone when all you want is to be distracted and "busy"
Letting it all out- journalling, talking, crying
Paint, journal, read, bathe, sudoku, lego idk
Work Work Work Work Work
Pay bills, organize and get things done
Stop distracting myself- with Netflix, not sleep on time and the other day I got in a fight with my brother because I wanted to wash the dishes on his day a.k.a avoid actual responsibilities
Get someone to keep you accountable✓
Challenge yourself for 30 days (30 day challenge style)✓
Pinning goals on Pinterest ✓
Looking ahead- reviewing goals (accepting the past), planning a trip (looking forward to the future)
Text people back ✓
Check emails ✓
Being consistent- with my devotion, gratitude journal
Be honest with yourself- when you stop faking it and start building off were you actually are in your life, mind and body then you're truly being productive✓
Be honest with your post- this may not apply to everyone but I find that for awhile I was debating what I should write on my blog when I had a topic available every week and that's just writing about what I've been thinking about ✓
Leaving the house is sometimes like climbing Mount Everest
This might seem like the most difficult part when you feel super yucky. This takes place after the getting your life together, cleaning yourself up, getting over yourself and grabbing your keys, sunglasses and tea to finally leave the house DUN-DUN-DUUUUN!!!
Stop cancelling on people or ignoring texts and go through with plans ✓
Smiling- reassuring myself, looking on the bright side, talking to strangers (even though the last thing I want to do when I’m obsessing over myself is start a conversation) ✓
Get over it and just do it- that's meaner then I wanted it to sound but honestly when you do the thing that you've been avoiding, it's so gratifying on it's own. And sometimes the best thing for me is just doing it and feeling better because I did it (and because I love checking things off lists). ✓
So that's that. Instead of, or after, turning down plans, destroying my room, avoiding responsibilities, complaining, being mean to people, blaming other people, wearing nothing but sweats and turning into a hermit; it takes making the decision to be responsive over being reactive to start moving in the right direction. It takes stepping back and seeing the bigger picture instead of cursing myself with eternal self-sabotage because things may seem overwhelming in this moment. Honestly, just lugging myself out of bed when the alarm goes off and not two hours later and doing the bed as soon as I get out of it, is a mission and half that I always appreciate after accomplishing it. Don't try to escape the day by letting time fly, having a pity party and forgetting to take care of yourself but make the brave decision to make mindful decisions. It's easy to not try and fail or be rejected and not be emotionally affected by it; But it it hard to try with all your strength and might and be rejected because we have put ourselves out there. Let's not give half of our attention, energy, effort, ideas, care, because we don't currently believe in ourselves, our dreams or people. But lets keep giving ourselves the time of the day when we do not feel like it or feel worthy of it or see any point in it. To keep on keeping on even when we don't see the fruit of our labour just yet, is what I would consider brave, to say the least. So don't forget to celebrate your wins however small and bravely bake yourself a celebratory treat because why not?.
Have a productive-ish day! ✓
"Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure"
Marianne Williamson
