A new way of doing things
The weather in Atlanta has been all over the place! One day it is 70 degrees and sunny and the next it's cold, rainy, and 40 degrees. It seems like everyone is getting sick right now.
Last Tuesday, I started to feel off. I was a little congested and just felt worn down. A few hours later, my throat felt like it was full of razors, I could barely swallow, and my energy was completely zapped.
I laid on the couch, turned on Netflix, dozed on and off, and gave myself the rest I so clearly needed. I canceled my class the next morning, rested, and gave my immune system the support it needed to fight off whatever was in my system.
Dave played nursemaid and made me tea and brought me juice and water when he wasn't at work. A good friend reminded me it was ok to stay home, rest, and not worry about work. I didn't get out of bed the entire day on Wednesday. It felt amazing and I felt better by the end of the day.
You may be reading this thinking, great Kathy, sorry to hear you weren't feeling well but what does this have to do with anything? 😂
Well, I don't know about you, but I have trouble slowing down and resting. More often than I would like to admit, it takes something drastic to help me slow down. I'm that person that shows up no matter what. I have had walking pneumonia, surgery, and even had my dad in the ICU but I still show up for work and the people in my life.
While my students, clients, and those around me know I will always be there, the person I am not always there for is myself. I often sacrifice my needs to make sure everyone else's are met. I have been doing this for as long as I can remember and am fully aware it stems from my people-pleasing tendencies. It's not my favorite quality and something I constantly work to change.
I know the world will still rotate and life will go on whether or not I show up for work or the people in my life. But when I’m not there I feel like I'm letting people down. I want to be there when I say I will be there and be consistent for everyone in my life.
Sometimes, those feelings win out over the habits I have been building for years.
The thing about habits is you don't ever stop working on them. We get to choose every day which direction we want our lives to go. We either make choices that move us towards who we want to be or further from it. It's a continual commitment, whether that is to ourselves, our health, or our relationships.
James Clear says, "The only way to become excellent is to be endlessly fascinated by doing the same thing over and over. You have to fall in love with boredom."
Having good habits is rarely exciting but the result you get from being consistent is always worth it. Think of something as simple as the habit of brushing your teeth. It's not glamorous or exciting but we do it every day because we know that the health of our mouth is worth the effort we put in.
I continue to work on my habits even though I know I won't be perfect. Being consistent with my habits helps me be more aware when I'm doing things that don't serve me. I don't have to wait until I get sick to remember I'm important too. It's a daily practice I am committed to because it helps me feel better and be better. I'm an eternal work in progress. 😉
What about you? Do you know how to prioritize yourself or does something drastic usually need to happen to get you to slow down? Let me know in the comments.