TAKE A MOMENT AND THEN KEEP TRUCKING
Some weeks I feel invincible, strong, fearless, and determined...Some weeks I feel like I just cannot stay afloat...Nothing seems to go as planned...I am exhausted...I am cranky...I am definitely not fun to be around. That was last week. It kicked my ass. I am the first to admit when I do not have my shit together. I acknowledge it. I have that moment. I pick myself back up. I lean on Shannon. I practice self-care and then I keep on trucking.
My job is a roller coaster. Social Media is a BEAST and some weeks it can just wear me down. This is life. Life has speed bumps. And when we hit those speed bumps we have two choices. We either let the stress and negativity take over or we put on those "Positive Patty Pants" on and YES, we just keep trucking. As I get older and somewhat wiser and definitely a little more stubborn, I won't give in to the negativity. I have learned what works for me to get out of that place and back up on my feet. Because as I always say, when we look at the bigger picture...Life is really good. Here are a few of my "go-to's" for getting myself back up and moving forward -
SWEAT IT OUT - Whenever I feel stressed, overwhelmed, frustrated, angry, sad, or need to take some time away from work, relationships, and life, sweating it out is always my favorite way to get my shit back together and start fresh. And usually, that type of sweat session involves my yoga mat and showing up to Sarah’s “The WORKS” class.
This class challenges me physically and mentally. It pushes me...It inspires me...It helps me feel grounded and grateful. I went to 3 “The WORKS” classes last week 3 days in a row and it was exactly what I needed. I was sore as heck and really freaking tired, but I needed someone to tell me to do those dreaded Vinyasa burpees and squat jumps. I needed Sarah to push me. I needed that support system and it worked.
I love my yoga community and I cannot brag enough about Sarah and how she has helped me on and off the mat with my yoga practice, building my strength and endurance, but also being a friend. Yoga is not just about stretching, building strength, and sweating, as amazing as to how this makes me feel. It is also a wonderful reminder that we have to love ourselves inside and out. That we all have moments, struggles, and breaking points. We just have to take some time to acknowledge this, but also remember to keep moving forward, because life is good and when you look around and remember what you have it is REALLY good.
NOURISH YOUR BODY - Feed your body what it wants and ENJOY it! When I am having one of those weeks, where I feel like I have no control over my workload and life, food USED to be that one thing where I felt like I did have some sort of control. This was not a good thing. Trust me, it is not healthy mentally, physically, and nutritionally. Controlling your food intake is exhausting and takes up a lot of energy. Energy that could be going to someplace else. Food control during stressful moments does not solve anything. It can actually make things worse. Honor your body. Give it what it needs. This moment and this week will pass, so nourish your body with the foods that it is craving and it will all balance out in the end.
We have to remember that our bodies are always changing and craving different things each week. Some weeks I just want to eat BIG salad bowls and smoothies...Some weeks I just want waffles and thick slices of bacon and more bacon. You have to honor these cravings and give your body what it wants. How cool is it that this happens? Life would be so boring if we ate the same thing every day. There have been nights where I just wanted to eat ice cream and cookies. And guess what I ate just that and it tasted and felt awesome. I fulfilled that craving and then moved on. Yes, it has taken me time to figure this out, but I can honestly say that I am so much more aware of these moments and it feels good to not have to worry about controlling the food.
DISCONNECT - JUST DO EXACTLY THAT! Stop scrolling, liking, commenting, emailing, and even turn your phone on silent. It is an amazing feeling. This past weekend we went to the RBC Heritage Cup in Hilton Head and it was a huge relief that I had to keep my phone on silent. It felt AWESOME. I was more present with our friends, with Shannon, and soaked up that beautiful sunshine, food, cocktails, and the experience.
I needed the weekend to disconnect, because it is so easy to burnout, especially when you are managing multiple accounts, and always trying to stay on top of the comments, mentions, and tags. I was starting to go bat crazy. So I 100% needed to just take that time to breathe, recharge, press restart, and just live life. Thank goodness my friend took all of our pictures, because by the middle of the day I didn’t even bother checking my phone. WAHOO!!!
During the hustle and bustle of the work week, I obviously cannot disconnect like that, which is fine, as this is my job, my livelihood, and it is what pays the bills. To stay somewhat sane on a daily basis, I always take Lucy for our afternoon walk and leave my phone behind and I am “trying” to shut it ALL down around 9:00 PM. It is hard because I love what I do and I get excited to see the growth, the interaction, and the excitement for the brands I represent, but I always need to remember, SLOW DOWN and turn it off!
HAVE THAT FLIPPING MOMENT - We are all allowed to have “that moment”. Whether it is crying, screaming, or just being silent, give yourself permission to feel all the feels. It is okay to break down. It is called being human. Once you get all that crap out, put those “Positive Patty Pants” on and just keep on trucking.
What self-care tips do you practice when life is just a HOT MESS?
