Tonight I was tired! I had absolutely no energy to exercise.
Just moving from the bed to my couch would have been good enough.
Yet I really
truly wanted to exercise as I know it’s the best medication to treat my
stressful day.
Given the weather, I am stuck inside and I’m a tad bored
with my exercise routine- this is part of the problem and also a ready excuse
when I need it. ;) So I decided to shake things up, go wild and crazy and
download an audio book. I’m pretty sure that God was testing me and getting a
good chuckle at my attempt to download my first audio book from the library.
It took me 30 minutes and by the time I was done downloading the freaking audio
book which ironically was 100 Ways To Simplify Your Life by Joyce Meyers- I was
even more exhausted.
First way to simplify your life- don’t download an audio
book when you’re trying to get a workout in, eat chocolate instead. Just
kidding. Kind of.
Anyway, I geared up, hopped plopped myself onto the elliptical
and listened to what Joyce had to say. Tonight, much of the message was around knowing
yourself, setting boundaries and saying NO. My favorite part of her message was
about pruning away the things and people in your life that take you away from
what really matters. She talked about the branches that are on the lower part
of the tree, some of them are unnecessary, they are the sap suckers. Those
branches need to be pruned off in order for the tree to be healthy and bear
fruit. Joyce asked what we have in our lives that needs to be pruned.
While pruning might sound a bit harsh, it’s necessary for
our survival. I sure wish that it didn’t take me until my forties to figure out
this vital survival skill AND I’m still working on it.
I have to say that since the holidays, starting with Thanksgiving, I have really been struggling with my eating, exercise
and motivation and I know that I’m not alone. Lately I’ve been feeling
overwhelmed, like there’s just not enough time in the day to get everything
done. The more I feel overwhelmed, the more I procrastinate. The more I
procrastinate, the worse I feel. The worse I feel, the more I eat. Can anyone
else relate?
Joyce’s message came at just the right time for me to see
that I’ve got some pruning to do. What or who is draining you? Taking away your
energy and focus? Competing for your
attention over what’s really important? Draining instead of replenishing you?
A few years ago I had a friendship like this. It took me
many years of hurt to realize it was toxic and that we’d both be better off
going our separate ways.
I’ve also come to really examine my priorities. I always put
people first over things, even if that means that I don’t get those things
done. Since I’ve started taking good care of my health, I’ve had to let a few
things go. My house is not nearly as clean as it used to be. Now I use those
cleaning hours to exercise or prepare healthy meals. Or to do something that replenishes my soul, artwork, writing, meditation, hanging out with a friend.
What or who is sap sucking your life? I can see a few
obvious time-related sap suckers in mine. Television. I could easily spend a few hours a
night watching my favorite sit-com line up. Facebook. An easy
escape when I’m feeling frazzled. Books. When I’m reading a good book that I just can't put down, all else seems to fall to the wayside. None of these are bad, however they do
drain hours of my time. When I look at how I spend my time to decompress, I see
that I could easily fit in some activity, home organization, phone calls, letter writing or whatever else I haven't been getting to- if I plan them out and prioritize them.
Back in the 90’s when FranklinCovey planners were all the
rage, they recommended that you schedule time for planning and solitude, right in the beginning of your day. I’ve really gotten away from that and I can
feel it. It’s not just time to plan IN my wellness, but to plan OUT my
wellness. Planning in what’s good for me and pruning out what’s not.
Make the choice. Commit to the choice. Ask for help. Continue
with courage.
Hugs and Friendship,
Tara
