After yesterday's frustrations, I sorely needed a day of self-care today. All too often, I postpone doing things for myself. Instead of relaxing, I'll find chores and projects to work on. While there's always things on my "To Do" list, I have a hard time remembering that I don't have to do all of it right away. I remind myself of something my boss once told me: Be grateful for having things on your "To Do" list - once everything's done, you die. I do appreciate having things to work on, but I do know that I struggle with an all-or-nothing approach to life.
Today, I told myself I would try a different approach. I decided to take advantage of the rainy day (and my husband's being out of the house all day) to do things just for me. I stayed in bed for a couple extra hours and read my fun book. I then spent most of the day working on scrapbook pages. and watching television. I did get around to my cardio, but that was also something I wanted to do for myself. The workout felt really good and I could have gone for longer but wanted to pace myself. After exercising, I took a deliciously hot shower and used my "special" shower gel. Then my husband came home and a friend came over so we spent the whole evening hanging out. We had planned on going to the ballpark, but it was rained out. Another way to take advantage of circumstances and take care of myself.
Why is it so hard for me to do things to take care of myself? I'll often not do things that are purely for myself because I feel guilty about doing so. I'll beat myself up for not doing things I "should" do. I'm working hard at better setting boundaries for myself - when I'll do things for work, when I'll do things for others, and when I'll do things for myself. I'm recognizing the limits of what I'm actually capable of doing, seeing as they're different from what I think I can do.
Even superheros burn out every once in a while. I remind myself of that fact and of the fact that I don't have the special powers or fancy costume that a superhero has. If I don't take care of myself who will? It's not that I don't trust other people or think that they don't care for me, but that I can't rely on them to be as attentive to my needs as my needs necessitate. (How's that for word choice?) As I'm aware of my needs and my limitations, I'm then able to recruit others to assist me in taking care of myself.
Here's one example: I intentionally didn't talk with my parents yesterday because of my migraine and feeling frustrated. I did talk with them this morning to review the points that came up with yesterday's appointment with the nutritionist. I was clear with them about what was covered in the meeting, what I'm doing about it, and what they can do to support me. I was clear about what I didn't need from them, because their "offering advice" is often a source of frustration and irritation for me (though I understand it's well-intended).
Another example is my asking my trainer and his wife for assistance with a new meal plan, but more on that tomorrow....
And now for some further self-care - bed-time!
Food Log:
- Meal 1
- 2 egg whites
- 40g oatmeal
- Meal 2
- 3oz chicken
- Green beans
- 2 tablespoons light salad dressing
- Meal 3
- Apple
- 1oz almonds
- Light cheese
- Meal 4
- 3oz chicken
- Green beans
- 2 tablespoons light salad dressing
- 40g oatmeal
- Tablespoon peanut butter
Exercise:
- Time: 75 minutes
- Level: Level 1 for 1 minute; Level 2 for 73 minutes; Level 1 for 1 minute
- Distance: 6.25 miles
- Calories: 850+
Today's Weigh-In: 148.7 / 148.1
No comments:
Post a Comment