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Writer's pictureGina M. Oakley

Self-Care: 21 Days to Reset Good Habits

DAY 3: Thunder Outside, Storms Inside


It’s day 3! Day 3 was like if Day 1 and Day 2 had a baby together. I was mostly happy with moments of sadness (or stress, anxiety, overwhelmedness-that is a thing). I thought of some things today that I want to share.


In case you missed Day 1 (or 2), this blog topic is geared toward those of us who need an attitude adjustment, a change of some kind, or (as I like to call it) a Self-intervention. I was ready for a swift kick to get back on track with my general happiness and "Boss Babe-ness". I have so much experience and expertise in health, fitness, career coaching, life coaching, and more that I share with others, but I need to remember those things for myself. So, join me on my journey to reset good habits in just 21 days!


Good Things to Celebrate Today:

What is something positive you can take away from your day? Share in comments.



Mine are:

I got to have dinner with a friend, and I ate clean and healthy, so it felt great! My son slept 5 hours straight, so that was good. Plus, it stormed all night and was super relaxing.


WORK STRESS (and other work things)


There was a time I loved my job, and there are still days where I like it. I know I spend too much time wishing I could write full time (when I say write it includes a whole bunch more than just sitting and writing my books). I get frustrated that I chose such a low paying, high stress field. I’m annoyed that I didn’t have counselors or other school staff to actually guide me to a better matched career. I feel very invested in the school I work for and feel close to many of my co-workers. But some days, I just feel frustrated that I don’t feel like I have the decision making freedom I’ve earned or the pay I deserve for what I do.



If you’re like me, you spend 8+ hours a day at work, so it can really cause inner storms or bring so much joy into your life. How do you feel about your job? What do you do, and why do you love (or hate) it?


In efforts to feel happier at work, I am reminding myself this week of some things that help keep me calm, cool, and cheery at work (though, these things do not change my salary, my title, how much or little people appreciate me, etc)

  • If I can’t get it done, I can’t get it done. I’m walking away from my desk when the day is over. I used to work extra hours every single day. That is too much for me now, so i am prioritizing better and moving things to tomorrow that can wait.

  • Delegate! It is hard for me to delegate because I do a really good job at anything I do. I work hard, I am very talented (it took me a long time to be able to say these things without feeling like I'm being conceited), and I make sure to go above and beyond with everything I touch, so handing something over to someone I don’t trust yet to do as good of a job as I will is tough. I promise you letting go is worth it. Let go. Delegate things that can and need to be shared with someone else to take something off your plate. You can always circle back to ensure tasks are completed as expected, but it feels good to not have to handle every item that comes before you.

  • Play music! Sometimes I forget how simply playing cheerful music in the background lifts my mood and keeps me focused. Do it. It’s great.

  • Stand up, walk away (or even better- do a dance!) Decompress when you feel weighted. Standing up literally causes the weight to fall away, at least for a moment to give your shoulders a rest.

  • Give yourself grace, and take a deep breath when you feel frustrated or angry. Don’t be afraid to speak up for yourself, but remember to be respectful and gracious.

Can I just say… IT IS AMAZING HOW MUCH BETTER I FEEL ALL DAY LONG WHEN I WORKOUT IN THE MORNING!!!!


Seriously, try it. Even if you just turn on some music and dance around- get your feet moving in the morning. You will feel great!


HEALTH


I didn’t try any new recipes today. I cooked eggs with sweet peppers and chicken bacon in a skillet with a drizzle of low sodium/low sugar buffalo sauce for breakfast after my workout. No coffee, only Spark today. Other than that I had a salad that you can find the recipe for in DAY 2. So, instead of a recipe, today I want to share a personal favorite routine I do every 90 days or so. It’s the AdvoCare 10 day reset. It’s literally like hitting the reset button. Decide for yourself what you think, but if you have questions you can always reach out! Check it out HERE


Get up and move. Your body, mind, and spirit will thank you.






COMPROMISE


After a great lunch conversation with my husband, I’m feeling reminded to always capture the spirit of compromise when things feel difficult. It was storming outside, and lately I’ve been feeling an inner storm that is growing slowly calmer. Compromising with someone is such a relief. I instantly felt the storm clouds dissolving little by little when my husband offered a great compromise to help me with my stressful morning routine. Which, by the way, leads me to ask- why don’t daycares open earlier? If anyone can answer this, please do. I have to rush to get my son to school and get to work on time, and that’s with taking him right when they open their doors. It’s so stressful. If they could open even ten minutes earlier, my life would be easier. I digress (as usual).


Compromise can dissolve your anger, it can allow you to smile when you weren’t even considering a grin, and it can give your breath back with weight removed from your chest. Allow your walls to come down just enough to consider a compromise.


PUT YOUR DEVICES DOWN


This is hard for me. I try not to fall into the social media black hole, but I am completely obsessed with jumping on the computer any chance I can to work on Super G things: writing articles, writing short stories, designing things, updating my website, working on notes from my editors, etc. I don’t get to spend enough time on those things, and it adds stress. Those things are what I want to spend all my time doing, so it makes me sad that I can’t. 21 days to a renewed me though, right? I’m practicing putting down my phone each day to play with my song or have meaningful conversations with my husband or a friend.


KEEP A JOURNAL


Don’t pressure yourself into writing in a journal every day. Just write when you feel like you need to let it out. There are sometimes things we want to say or things we feel that we don’t want others to hear. Sometimes there are things we aren’t sure if we are ready for others to hear. Journals are a great way to work through your thoughts and feelings. If you are more of a tech person, there are tons of free online journals, but you can also use your phone notes or word processing programs to journal.


Here are my suggestions:

COMING SOON to supergauthor.com CUSTOM JOURNALS: plug your email in at the site or create a free member account to get updates on when these will be available! VISIT HERE


Some online journals you may want to consider:


This is a short entry, but I encourage you to go relax, reflect, and despite the inability to control the weather outside, do what you can to clear the storm within yourself.



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