Christmas came and went and before I knew it the New Year arrived. As always, New Years brings with it thoughts of change for the future and contemplation on the year that has ended. My contemplation has been focused on how I had too much stress in my life this past year. I took on too many responsibilities and wasn't able to manage it all. This resulted in high anxiety, insomnia, weight gain, and just an overall feeling of the blahs.
Like so many mother's, women, and daughters before me, I realized I couldn't continue to live like this. I began to take proactive measures, sought out a counselor, took a nutrition class, and learned about how to de-stress and prioritize myself.
Some important things I have taken away on my journey:
1. Don't sweat the small stuff.
How very cliche of me, I know. I almost cringe every time I hear those words; they're so overused and sound like an after school special. But it's true. You need to learn to let the little things go. Out of milk? Don't get pissy. Get off your butt and go get it.
2. Stop the entitlement.
Seriously. You don't need scheduled time to do absolutely nothing so you can relax, you need to rethink how you approach things. Some of the strongest people I know (myself included) get caught up in the "need time to do nothing" mindset, and when we don't get that time we crack. Entitled leads to expectations which ultimately leads to disappointment.
3. Be grateful.
Be grateful you have time to clean your kitchen, or heck, be grateful you even have a kitchen. Now I don't mean fall to your knees and thank the heavens for everything, just remember, next time you compare yourself to the Jones', that you have a lot in this world. And don't forget health.
4. Take "me" time.
I know, you're all thinking "Now she's contradicting herself. First don't be entitled, now be selfish." That's not it. Take "me" time for mini-breaks. I'm a firm believer in taking a break. This fall in my nutrition course, they recommended twenty minutes of staring at the sky. I thought it sounded ridiculous, but I tried it. Sure enough, within a couple minutes I was completely calm, centered, and relaxed. Wow.
5. Breathe.
Close your eyes, visualize your stress, and just breathe. I've done this a few times. Each time the stress evaporates within about 5-10 minutes. It's amazing.
By the end of the year I had a clear goal in mind. I almost slipped and took on more responsibilities this upcoming year, but quickly withdrew before it was too late. A professional mistake? I don't think so. Life is too short to center it around a career...I mean, is that who I really am?
Guess we'll find out this next year :)
