It’s Thanksgiving week! And you know what that means….the potential for more stress.
Travel is a big stress producer and this week is the biggest travel time of the year. Plus, we have stress around seeing family. Or the pressure of creating the ‘perfect’ dinner for guests.
It’s just gotta go. Stress is not worth the mess it creates within you – mentally, emotionally, and physically. This past week was a very real reminder of that for me.
Recently, I took on the responsibility of being a single parent while my husband went on a business trip.
Wow, do I have a deep appreciation for single parents now.
Because I’m self employed, I normally control my schedule. That gives me the ability to exercise and do a self care routine when it fits nicely into my day. (This certainly has not always been the case….I did 4:30am wake up calls for years to make it work in my 30’s. But those are a distant memory now.)
These new responsibilities – on top of keeping up the house (laundry, cleaning, food shopping), cooking dinner and staying on top of my business and launch of Beyond by Emerge Positive™ – were overwhelming.
And you know what? The first thing to go was my self care.
I was shocked. Here I am screaming from the rooftops about the importance of consistent self care routine and here I am throwing it out the window at the first wave of stress.
But I did. I didn’t meditate. I didn’t exercise. I didn’t even read my morning motivation. I just jumped into my day…and ran full speed.
My day looked like this: driving to/from school (a 2.5 hour round trip drive every day), getting as much work done as possible before school pick up, sneaking in a quick shower and then making dinner. After cleaning up the kitchen, I settled on the couch with my laptop to continue my workday until I went to bed.
The result: I was anxious. I didn’t get a good night’s sleep – not once. I felt stressed out. I was overly focused on time and deadlines. My energy was low, my brain foggy, and I just didn’t feel like myself.
I knew I wasn’t taking care of me, but I was being pulled in too many directions. I didn’t feel like I could even pause for a minute to figure out a solution.
Until day 6.
That’s when I took back my power and said, “Enough”. I can’t continue on this hamster wheel any longer. I need to say no to things that aren’t urgent. And I need to put my needs at the top of my priority list.
Because we all know that if we don’t make our health and well-being a priority, no one else will.
That’s our responsibility. (The You Can Emerge Positive podcast talks more on that here.)
So I made small changes. I got out of bed and did a full body stretch. It felt good. I read the daily entry of my motivational book, Simple Abundance. And I took a short walk after lunch. (For women over 45, this is an amazing thing you can do for yourself – supporting your blood sugar and stress levels. Just 10-15 minutes is all you need.)
Did that ruin my schedule? Make me miss a deadline?
Nope.
In fact, I got more done. My mind was clearer. I was organized and focused. I felt better about myself. And I finally got a good night’s sleep.
Don’t be me this week. Make time for yourself.
This week is not a typical schedule for most of us which makes it easy to run yourself ragged. Take a few minutes to enjoy a cup of tea or coffee as you ease into your morning. Think about what you’re grateful for – it is Thanksgiving week, after all. And remind yourself that ‘Everything Happens With Perfect Timing’. There’s no need to worry. It will all work itself out.
You aren’t falling behind. You aren’t missing the deadline. Your guests will love your turkey dinner. And you can choose to feel good throughout.
Choose to make this holiday week fun! Remove the stress. And make memories that make your heart smile. Take it step by step.
Remember: ‘inch by inch is a cinch’.
Happy Thanksgiving to you! I am so grateful you have stayed with me for so long. Thank you for your support of Emerge Positive.
Positively,
deanne
Ps. I’m pouring my heart into something new called Beyond by Emerge Positive™—a mindset community for women 45+ who are ready to stop running on empty and start designing what’s next. Membership opens December 1st with a special Founders rate. If you’ve been thinking, “I want something more,” you’re exactly who I created this for—and I’d love to welcome you in. Click here to here about Beyond.
