A New Year’s New You Perspective

Being a woman in today’s world is crazy. Stupid crazy hard. And yet, we get up every morning and show up. Sometimes all we can do is try and that’s good enough too. Some days can be so chaotic that you aren’t even sure which hurdle to tackle first. So where in all this is well? Or self care?

We all know that I SUCK as asking for help. It is so very hard for me. When I had my surgery my friend had to DEMAND that I let her do a meal train for me while I was recovering from my surgery. It was just so hard for me.  I am usually the caregiver so this was pretty foreign. When you are sick or just not yourself asking for help is even harder. 

Now that 2022 is in the rear view mirror we have new intentions to set and new outlooks to target. Starting something new is hard and can cause you some anxiety. (Which doesn’t feel so good when you first start and can often be hard to continue when it doesn’t feel good)

Let’s start with asking for help. Say it with me, “I need help”. “I need your support, your assistance with picking up X, Y or Z,  I need you”.  Try any or all of them and do it as much as you can. Getting used to asking is a key factor. Practice asking for help in different ways and see what feel comfortable for you. So let’s say your intention for this coming year is to be more active. Moving your body is not only helpful for your physical body, but it’s also healthy for your mind. It produces important hormones and chemicals like endorphins.

Which, according to Elle Woods of the awesome movie Legally Blonde, “everyone knows that exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy.”  Certain chemicals that the body releases give you a kick, some energy and a positive mental outlook. The more you increase your endorphins, etc the more long term happy you make yourself!

Do what you can to move a little bit more every day. Do some stretches before you get out of bed in the morning, do some sitting and stretching at your desk during the day. Take a coffee break but walk a lap or two around your space or outside. 

If you can get moving for 20-30 minutes a day you are doing great!  I started walking during covid and I was getting pretty bored (ADD girl here) so I started challenging myself to run from one stop sign to the next and then walk again. I did this more and more during each walk until after about 6 weeks I could run a mile without stopping!  It was amazing and my health, my sleeping and my body all benefited!

Let’s say your new intention for the year is to start your day differently than you did in the past. If you’re someone who is always trying to remember what you had on your agenda for the day, setting aside some time in the morning to organize your day may be what you need.

My wellness journey; starting my day in a new way

You need a vision or intention statement.  It might be a short term or long term goal you want to work on. ,It might be something about your productivity or a relationship you need to focus on.  Spend your morning sorting out this goal and write it down somewhere.  At different points throughout the day you can check in on how things are going.

Using mindfulness in your self care campaign

There are many ways one can become mindful. I have entire blogs on them. Here is one of my blogs on mindfulness in kids. You can use these strategies on yourself as well. The idea is to try it and give it at least 3 weeks for it to stick. Keeping a journal is also a great way to be mindful. 

Journaling is a great tool. However, many people don’t follow through and quit because they think that journaling has to be a long drawn out process. In reality you can start by doing what I do. I write a list of 3 things I am grateful for each day. Just a few sentences and then I move on with my day.

If it’s just not your thing? Try going for a walk,working in your garden or grabbing an adult coloring book and color pencils.  You can even try your hand at mandalas. Here is my blog on those fun babies.  Any activity can be mindful if you focus on doing ONE THING AT A TIME. Yes, you ADDers you have to focus on this one thing and try to push away all the other thoughts and distractions.

Finding space for your wellness

Having a “happy space” in your home or workspace is crucial to your wellness. My bedroom is my oasis, my sanctuary, my zen. I have all the things I need to help soothe my body and my soul.

You want your room to be calm and peaceful. I have lamps with low lighting, a himalayan sea salt lamp, a diffuser with lavender in it ready to go. No TV in my room and while I admit I have to have my phone by my bedside, I try to keep it face down while getting ready for bed.

At work I also have a sea salt lamp and diffuser. I can’t use mood lighting but I do have some pretty cool playlists I use at different times of the day.  Some are upbeat and some are to help me focus. I keep a tea kettle to make hot tea when I need a bit of comfort too.

Making time for yourself in new ways

It can be hard to get things started and keep it going. They say it takes three weeks to really get a habit to sink in and three months for a lifestyle change to occur.