In the words of Eric B and Rakim, “It’s been along time, I shouldn’t have left you, without a strong rhyme to step to”, or in this case, without a blog post to encourage you. Ha, how you like my rap? Okay, okay I won’t give up my day job.
But speaking of day jobs, that’s the main reason for my MIA status. Can we say, life take over? To say I’ve been busy would be the understatement of the year. “How busy have you been?” Well, I’ve been SO busy that all I’ve been able to do is go to work, do my job, expend every ounce of energy I have on the job, come home, make it to the couch, fall asleep, wake up, stumble to my bed, go back to sleep, rinse and repeat.
Yup, that’s pretty much been my life for the last two months. Wait a minute. Is that all it’s been? It feels like a lifetime!
But now I’m back and I’m ready to get down to business. During my time away, I’ve discovered some things about myself that I’d like to share. Perhaps my aha moments may prove to to helpful to you as well
I Can’t Do It All
As much as I would like to be all things to all people, be perfect at work, blog everyday, work just as many hours on my own business as I do at work, take care of my mom around the clock, give 100% of my attention to my sweetie, coach my clients to reach their weight loss goals and be flawless with my own journey, so on and so on, the reality is, I am only human (well there’s a news flash I am capable of doing many things but not everything at one time. At times there are some things that will need to be placed on the back burner until life settles down and until I can re-calibrate myself to handle multiple responsibilities without going completely insane.
Stay Close To What Keeps Me Grounded
Prayer, reading my bible, journaling, sleep, going off the grid, meditation, reading inspirational books and articles, unplugging the TV and Facebook (or insert your time zapper of choice), doing absolutely nothing from time to time are just some of the things that keep me sane and grounded. If it weren’t for these things (and actually taking time to do them) I would have burnt completely out. Life is about balance. Learning to balance 50 Shades of Crazy with these disciplines is an absolute must for me and for you! Trust me…you’ll be glad you did!
Self-Care Is The Least Selfish Thing You Can Do
In the midst of all the craziness, I did have the presence of mind to squeeze in some self-care activities for myself. I took a 13 day vacation. The first two days I spent on the couch just trying to decompress. I’m telling you I felt like Raggedy Ann. I spent another two days putting my life back in order, through planning, cleaning, and re-organizing some things. The best part of my vacation was spending a few days on Martha’s Vineyard. It felt good to leave everything and all responsibilities behind. It felt good not to have to make a decision. It felt good to take in the scenery and to spend a few days living a carefree life of leisure. I’m telling you I could really get used to that. When I returned home, I did two of my favoritis (I know that’s not a word) things. I went to the bookstore (and purchased 3 books that I could actually turn the pages to I also had a much needed hot stone massage. My muscles were coiled up like a slinky. When I left the salon, I felt like jello and it felt wonderful! I’m trying to figure out how I can budget my funds to be able to make this a monthly, self maintenance experience.
The End Of One Good Thing Is The Start Of Another
But now it’s back to reality. My return back to work two weeks ago was tough. I spent the first day back fighting back tears. I don’t know what’s worse, working around the clock in order to get your work done before leaving for vacation OR returning from vacation to all the things calling for your attention that no one else could do in your absence. But the good news is that I have now had a chance to refocus and reboot. My attitude towards work and life in general has taken a 180 degree turn.
I’m ready to get back on track with my eating and exercise. I know what project to tackle next in my business, and I have a new found appreciation for my job. Yes, life was crazy for awhile and as life would have it, it will be crazy again. But for now I am taking advantage of my restored energy, my new focus and my new morning routine that starts off with things that calm and ground me and help me to realize that today is a good day to have a good day…everyday!