Today I gave myself permission. Small things but Big impact.
I have found myself going a bit crazy over the last number months, over my head in work, in chores, in house stuff, in exercise, in ritualization. I am fed up and I need a break.Completely Overwhelmed and I feel it in my body. Headaches, neck pain, more chiro appts, sadness, pain.
So this morning I woke up and instead of my daily grind of work, work and work before I go to the office and 30 minutes of exercise-I decided to cut out the exercise for the summer starting now.
(Except for my sacred Wednesday or Thursday morning class that keep me from a good amount of back and neck pain).
One might question why cut out something so good for you? Why that and not work? I can’t cut out work-I go in a bit later and so have always done work at home in the mornings it’s what works for me and gives me that flexibility in schedule.
Exercise as much as I like it and have got into a groove has got to go in the summer. Too much to fit in. So I decided to commit to my class once a week and for that other 30 minutes a morning I now have open…….to ENJOY.
So this morning I had 30 minutes to text a couple of friends, watch 5 mins of TV with my son who is off today, pack a healthy lunch for myself and dip in the pool instead of taking a shower!!! It felt soooooo good to be free (and I still get 90- minutes of emails etc done before I come into the office).
I also told my husband of my plan and we decided together to take on as minimal as possible between June 15-Sept 15. If we need a new rake wait until fall! A light breaks-stay broken until September! New bathing suit needed-manage with your old one! Costco and bulk food-no time until thanksgiving! (ok truth is I told my husband this plan and he shook his head yes-I think that was a nod anyways in a vertical direction).
Let’s try this out.
Too many people I respect around me lately have been saying the same thing-that they give themselves more breaks than I permit myself on many levels:
Do you have a Will?
No. I know it can cause problems-but just too lazy or have no time.
How do you find time to do all the household chores and outside stuff that needs to be done?
I don’t –I just ignore it all.
Isn’t June a crazy month for homework-how do you and the kids fit it all in?
I don’t they just get whatever marks they get.
My first thoughts were:
Oh My!
(Ok they are still Oh My!) with a big But. If you are willing to accept the consequences of your actions or inactions-well then big bravo to you! Or me now too! I can’t say I am converted…on many levels this will just never ever work for me. My mind is very strategic and long term and automatically fast forwards to the future with dead parents and orphan kids, a house that won’t sell because not up kept and kids who don’t have careers because I did not push them in school. That being said….taking this mental break for a while won’t kill me or my family either!
To tell you the truth I have never quite considered just not doing something that is considered to me necessary or important.
Well today I did just that and so my 30 minutes of exercise went out the window for a short 2 months. I will get back on track for the other 10 months. And that does not mean I won’t take those morning 30 minutes to still exercise if I want to. Big difference. Want to vs feel have to.
So although I am a bit worried of the effect on my body…I will be like many other people I know who are very successful in life and take a chance. Live with the outcomes and hope for the best.
As I got dressed this morning, I was very pleased with my body in my slimming white skirt and long brown top. I have been eating very intuitively lately and putting the scale in a far off drawer and have been impressed with what I see in the mirror so far. A girl; now woman of 40 yrs who is finding her way and balance between the needed ritualization of food and exercise and the comfort of a life with lowered stress and expectations.
I liked the silhouette I saw both from the outside and inside. Hippy Chic Boho today-free and carefree and looking forward to an extra 30 minutes of morning indulgence in whatever form that takes
Aiming (carelessly and freely) for one of the best summers of my life.
