DO IT ANYWAY

Happy Sunday! Welcome to my FIRST addition of the weekly newsletter. Let’s dig in!

 RESITISTANCE. AMBIVALENCE. CHANGE. ACTION.

Picture this……It’s 5am on a Monday morning and your alarm goes off. 

You have two choices- 

(a) You hit snooze and go back to sleep 

(b) GET UP 

A daily struggle for me, that’s for sure. What is your routine and what goals do you set for yourself daily to prioritize your health? Can you fit it in early morning before the day starts? Maybe you a have a goal to workout every morning before work or you want to take time to reflect on your upcoming day and have some time to yourself before you have to wake the family up and get ready. Maybe there is no time here but you have some time while the kids nap or at lunch at work. How about when you get home and kids are fed and you take a family evening walk? Wait-or you have a thousand sports practices during the week and basically throw food on the table and then begin your chauffeur business for the evening. What can you squeeze in for yourself in between these moments?

Taking care of yourself isn’t easy when your number 1 priority is your family. Let me tell you, when you take a small amount of time per day to allow a little time for yourself, the changes are transformational. 

But Jacqueline, there is no time! I have no time to do x,y, z. I’m here to tell you, you do have time. It might mean change, being uncomfortable, giving up one thing for another, doing something when you just DON’T WANT TO DO IT. Action creates change. Action creates motivation. The more you do something and see positive results, the more motivated you are to do it. Get comfortable with ambivalence and resistance, because it will be there. It’s what you do with it that matters. 

Let’s set a goal.

What is your goal? (ex: lose weight)

 Ask yourself a series of 5 Whys-

Why do you want to lose weight? (ex: feel better and have more energy)

Why do you want more energy? (ex: to keep up with my kids)

Why do you want to keep up with your kids? (ex: I want to run and play with them without being exhausted)

Why do you feel exhausted? (ex: I’m out of shape and it’s hard to breathe when I’m active)

Why? (ex: I need to take care of myself so I can be the best for my kids)

Set a small action goal for yourself this week. One tiny step in the direction you want to go. Any change at all, no matter how small, creates a positive effect. If you want to fit in a workout in your day, but not sure where to fit it, pick 10 minutes somewhere in your day. When you wake (while everyone is asleep), during nap time, over lunch, in the evening after dinner, or even while your kid is practicing their extracurricular activity. Start with 10 min. This might mean you have to get up 10min early, or skip your nap while the kiddo naps, or in the evening leave the dirty dishes in the sink for another 10 min. PRIORITIZE you. Even if it is only 10 min. You can progress from here, but it’s a start. 

For me, it’s getting that workout in before work. I know that my day is full of responsibilities and I want to feel physically and mentally strong for the day. If I don’t do it then, I do not likely have time later in the day. Do I wake up most mornings and say I DON’T WANT TO DO THIS? Yes. Everyday. I do it anyway. 

Tonight, before going into the workweek:

Set a health goal for yourself to follow this week-small and obtainable

List 3 things you are grateful for and 3 things that went well today