I'm Not Stressed, I'm In High Demand
For a few weeks now I've been really stressed. Not like freaking out and want to jump off a building stressed, just the kind where I don't sleep well and feel scattered and unfocused. Mostly I need to stop looking at my calendar and, instead, take things one day at a time, but alas... I'm looking at my calendar.
Why do we do that?
You know, kick our own ass even when we know better? Like, put the freaking calendar away woman! DUH.
But I don't.
I look. And I try to plan. And I get stressed.
Most of the time I call it being "overwhelmed".
Today I've decided to call it being in "high-demand" - HD for fun.
How do you deal with being in HD?
There are plenty of options for this but here are a few that come to mind first:
flow charts
electronic alerts
color coded calendar flags
sticky notes covering every inch of refrigerator surface
drinking
eating
shopping
or some combination of all the above
I make lists. Somehow getting all the shit out of my head and on a piece of paper seems to help. I give everything a priority level and try to determine a timeline that it needed to be accomplished. It's not rocket science but it works for me. Usually I realize the number of things needing to be accomplished is actually pretty manageable if I just get focused and make a plan.
Have you ever added something to your list that you've already done just so you can check it off the list?
*hand raised* Guilty!!
So I made a list. A long list. I felt good about the list. Then I kicked my own ass AGAIN.
I'm sitting at my desk and look up to see my printed 2018 Goals and realized I haven't done a whole bunch of things that I should have. Case in point, a monthly blog post. I don't know why this one really chapped my ass because I also haven't worked out OR cooked a real meal this month and I've had a book sitting on my nightstand since February when I finished the last book with roughly 2 pages read. On the bright side, I did put money into savings (that happens automatically) and I did eat at several new restaurants (that goal in particular seems to be really easy!) but that's about it.
And then it hit me.
Why do I feel like I'll "never" get the list done, and I'll "always" be behind and unfocused.
I'm not Perfect.
There. I said it.
I'm. Not. Perfect.
But I CAN make some HD Progress.
First, stop thinking in absolutes.
"Never" and "Always" aren't words that you should have in your vocabulary unless it's to describe how you "Always" pick an Almond Joy over M&M's, or you "Never" go to a movie on opening weekend. Even then, neither word is really absolutely-true because you can make a different choice in the future.
I DO get my lists done.
I'm NOT always unfocused.
Second, stay committed to Progress.
Progress can feel less powerful than Perfection. But you know what's even less powerful, being stressed out and feeling like shit.
This blog post isn't Perfect and my to-do list won't get done tonight (or even in the next month!). I probably won't cook a meal this week and I may not get one page of that book read.
But, that's ok.
I'm still worthy. I'm still loved. I'm still good enough. Even though I'm not Perfect.
And even though you're not Perfect, you're still worthy, you're still loved, and you're still good enough. Keep that in mind next time you feel yourself kicking your own ass.
xo
E