I hope you managed to carve out a little time for yourself over the holidays to reflect, rest and recharge your batteries.
I did.
Here’s what I came up with:
Going slow helps me go faster
For years, I’ve had this belief that if I wasn’t busy, I wasn’t worthy. I wore busy as a badge of honour.
What I was mostly doing was spinning my wheels.
Overwhelm, stress and anxiety used to send me into a tailspin of activity.
I’ve been trying to change those old patterns; slow down and get more quiet when those feelings come up.
”Being brings balance to doing” Richard Strozzi-Heckler
It’s a work in progress, but I’m almost positive that I’ve been getting more done by doing less. Go figure.
Boundaries
A boundary that I tried to stick to in 2023 was around social media and screen time.
My rule is no screens before sun.
Getting daylight (especially that light around sunrise and sunset) is really good for my sleep and overall wellbeing.
Reducing scrolling time is good for my focus.
Getting to bed earlier (turning off Netflix) is also good for me.
If my food is my fuel, then exercise is my joint lube
Yoga and more recently Pilates have been the final pieces to my inflammation puzzle. Shout out to my amazing teachers; Elizabeth and Amy.
Regular, targeted movement combined with the right foods, help me stay pain-free.
I wish I’d known this when I was thirty.
Comparison is the thief of joy
I like podcasts and follow different inspiring people.
But consuming too much, even if it’s positive, educational and transformational, can have a negative influence on my peace.
When I start shoulding on myself, and comparing myself… it never ends well.
My path, my speed, my journey.
Give up controlling
When I feel the urge to get in and fix someone else (usually my husband – bless his heart).
It’s a sure sign that I need to turn the focus back to myself and deal with my own shit.
I can’t control others – everyone has their own path.
I’m in charge of me and that’s it.
I’ve packaged these up and presented them as though it’s been a linear process.
It hasn’t been. I’ve been working on some of these things for years now.
It’s messy and it will never be perfect.
My message for you is that slipping up, forgetting, falling back into old patterns WILL happen.
They’re only mistakes if you don’t harvest the learning.
What did 2023 teach you?
If you’re frustrated about some aspect of your health or weight, don’t stop trying!