This week, things have been pretty hectic and what has been on my mind is how to get through it when something's gotta give.
There will be moments when something's gotta give. When you can't possibly do everything that you set out for your day even if they are mostly habits you have or are acquiring and you've planned quite realistically. Even if your To Do list can fit on one of those teeny tiny Post-It Notes, there will be moments, hours, days, and quite possibly whole weeks where something's gotta give. You need to make sure that you're not the thing that's gonna give.
Look at what you have planned or thought was going to happen, consider how you are feeling and what is most important to you in this moment. Think about if everything has a snooze alarm and can be put off a bit. Think about what will make you feel the most fortified, the calmest, or the best, heading into the next minute, hour, or day. Think about what you want. This sounds like a lot of thinking but all of this thinking should happen in a short period of time, like less than 10 minutes. Go with your gut and decide what is waiting and what you are focusing on now.
Once you've figured out your change, make sure you have something in there for yourself, a few minutes of meditation, a treat, a walk outside, a 10 minute nap, some quiet space where you calmly acknowledge that you did well. You caught it before you broke, before things got out of hand and you rebalanced, reassessed, and now you can face what's next with more energy and a clearer mind, even if what is next is a nap or a sizeable glass of wine.
Rebalancing is not weakness, rebalancing is power. Recognizing when you need to rebalance is a vital skill that can make the next hour or the next few years easier. We all have an internal compass, we just need to consult it and then heed what direction it gives us. We actually do know where we need to go, we just get thrown off course sometimes.
Short version: Rebalancing
• Stop and consider how you're feeling
• In 10 minutes or less think about
◦ what has a snooze alarm
◦ what will help you feel better going into whatever is next
• Trust your gut to decide what to focus on and move forward
• Reward yourself - some quiet, a treat, a nap, whatever works for you
• Acknowledge that you did well
• Remember, rebalancing is power and an important skill to learn.
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