As great as all this sounds Sally, I think you might be setting yourself up to fail by trying to do everything at once...as the saying goes 'a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.' Keep in mind you've been this way for as long as you can remember so you can't expect everything to change all at once; and being the seemingly perfectionist that you are, when you don't succeed you will just beat yourself up and make things worse.
I think you would be better off breaking things down into smaller goals/chunks...ie. right now just focus on getting your meals organized, then when that becomes a habit you can focus on your work schedule, etc. You can immediately cut out some time-suckers/wasters, too, in order to free up some time so that you can just have space to breathe, reflect and get in touch with yourself and decide what are the most important areas and tasks for you to be focusing on right now. It will be much easier to make lasting change if you have smaller victories that will boost your confidence and serve as building blocks to become even stronger.
And last, but certainly not least, you must remember to have patience with and compassion for yourself as you move through each day and don't worry if you 'fall off the wagon' once and a while...you are human, after all. Keep us posted...you're certainly not alone in that you are an example of what many women struggle with...so know that we are here to support you all the way! :)
May 22, 2009 at 12:23 AM
Because May is Physical Fitness Month and I attended TWM's recent Health & Nutrition event, I've been thinking a lot lately about my own physical health and well-being.
If you recall from a few previous posts of mine, I have a hard time focusing on myself even when I know I should. Recently, my body has started fighting back because my schedule has me running around without pause. My sisters and my guy are very much focused on their health, and I feel like the odd one out. All of this has made me realize that time is up -- I have to focus on myself now, or I never will.
I started walking a lot more, and my upcoming move to NYC will give me more opportunities to be active with all of the open space to explore around me. But I know it has to be more than that. I need to carve out time to spend with myself. I need to let go of some responsibilities that I simply can't handle anymore. And what I really need to start with is a firm schedule and plan so I can start holding myself accountable.
So, I'm starting today! No time like the present, right?
I'm going to start by planning out my meals for the week, which I hope will free up time in the decision-making that often takes me an hour per meal. Next, I'll decide what my exercise to do each day, which has to be on top of the 30 minutes of walking I do now. I'm also going to come up with a set work schedule for the week with a prioritized to do list that should help me stay on track throughout the day. Hopefully all of this will work out for this week, and then I can do it again next week, and the week after that, and keep on going until it becomes a habit.
Do you have any suggestions for how I can stick to my plan? Is this something you might need to do for yourself as well? It'd be good to know I'm not alone!
"Holding Myself Accountable - Starting Today"
1 Comment -
As great as all this sounds Sally, I think you might be setting yourself up to fail by trying to do everything at once...as the saying goes 'a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.' Keep in mind you've been this way for as long as you can remember so you can't expect everything to change all at once; and being the seemingly perfectionist that you are, when you don't succeed you will just beat yourself up and make things worse.
I think you would be better off breaking things down into smaller goals/chunks...ie. right now just focus on getting your meals organized, then when that becomes a habit you can focus on your work schedule, etc. You can immediately cut out some time-suckers/wasters, too, in order to free up some time so that you can just have space to breathe, reflect and get in touch with yourself and decide what are the most important areas and tasks for you to be focusing on right now. It will be much easier to make lasting change if you have smaller victories that will boost your confidence and serve as building blocks to become even stronger.
And last, but certainly not least, you must remember to have patience with and compassion for yourself as you move through each day and don't worry if you 'fall off the wagon' once and a while...you are human, after all. Keep us posted...you're certainly not alone in that you are an example of what many women struggle with...so know that we are here to support you all the way! :)
May 22, 2009 at 12:23 AM