#ThreeThingsThursday: Exhausted But Exhilarated
/If you have been reading the blog regularly (thank you to those that do), you know that 2016 was a rough one for me emotionally. It was pretty dark and depression ruled over me despite amazing things happening in my life.
On Tuesday January 23 after returning from a work trip, I made a decision that it was time to stop wondering when I would find my spark again and MAKE IT HAPPEN! On January 27 I walked back into a Weight Watchers meeting room for the first time in almost a year.
Additionally I have taken on a side role with a company (more details soon) and it has filled a part of me that was empty. I love being able to share the awesomeness of a community and I can't wait for you all to join me on the ride.
Over the course of this last month, my spark as returned. It isn't 100% back yet, but it is shining brighter than it has in well... over a year! :)
So today I share three of the things that have made a HUGE difference in that mental and emotional change:
1) Allowing Myself To Say NO
I have always been a people pleaser. I yearn for people to like and accept me for who I am. This often leads to me FAILING at saying the word "no!" This pertains to both personal and work worlds.
Refocusing on a work-life balance has been difficult, but necessary. I am a workaholic and I can admit that. As a result over the last year, I blogged less and didn't interact on social media as much as I wanted to. Both of those things make me EXTREMELY happy.
So the first thing I did was make time for those things a priority. As you are all well aware, I have entered a blogging streak (this is day 28). Forcing myself to take that "me" time started to put a little bounce back into my step.
I have also been stepping away from my desk at lunch and actually taking a lunch. Now most of the time I sneak a workout in during lunch, but that still gets me away from my desk. But it is so easy to answer emails on my phone. Nope! Hello Do Not Disturb. This is really 30 minutes of "me" time.
Are we sensing a theme with this "me" time?
I was overcommitting myself and found myself resenting a lot of the activities I used to love. So it was time to take a step back, re-evaluate which I wanted to continue doing and discontinue those that didn't bring me joy.
"NO" - if it isn't in your vocabulary welcome it back like me!
2) Making Time & Mixing Up My Workouts
By the end of the #runstreak, I was barely squeezing a mile or two in before heading to bed. I wasn't making time for anything else besides maybe a walk on the treadmill.
Movement is therapy
Movement makes me happy
Movement impacts my mood
With the end of the #runstreak going down on January 29 and pain in my hip increasing, I promised myself I would make a change in February.
And a change I have made.
My weekly workouts now look like:
- 2 strength training classes
- 3 swim workouts
- 2 bike/spinning workouts
- 1 long run
I even took my first rest day since October 2014 this month!
While I will be looking to increase the running over time, right now I wanted to focus on strengthening my body (esp hip) to fix this injury.
Since I am not logging as many miles for marathon training, I am focusing on making up for that in my other workouts.
Enter Flywheel! Flywheel is an absolutely amazing workout. It helped me CRUSH Heartbreak Hill in 2015 and I am ready for it to do it again. My Tedy's Team teammate and friend Melinda is an instructor there and is happy to kick my ass whenever I want it.
I went to Flywheel twice this week and can already feel a difference in my legs.
Additionally, I tried a kickboxing class to support a friend's Chicago Marathon fundraiser. It was totally out of my comfort zone, but it was a blast.
I have also been going to bed earlier so I can get up earlier to fit in a workout before work if needed. Either way I am making a game plan the night before of what workout I will do the next day and when. This is helping to hold myself accountable and get it done!
Trying new workouts and pushing myself in the old ones --- welcome to my mantra for 2017!
3) Cutting Out The Negativity: Externally And Internally
Negative self talk is my nemesis.
I was listening to the Pink song - Fuckin Perfect - and started crying. Every time I hear that song, I start crying and loudly singing along. That song speaks to my inner soul.
I wish it was that easy to just tell the voices in your head to knock it off, but it takes work to silence those demons. Mine have been around over 20 years and they aren't going away overnight. But I have been working to flip the negatives to positives. I've mentioned before how some days it is exhausting to do, but it is necessary!
YOU ARE WORTH IT!
It is so much easier to squash the negativity coming at you externally, but it takes me so long to pull that trigger. I have finally started to do that. Separating myself from the things/people/activities that drag me down or cause me self-doubt. Replacing them with the people/things/activities that make me feel amazing!
If you ever feel like you aren't enough, please remember: YOU ARE FUCKIN PERFECT TO MMEEEE!!!!
Despite working 2 jobs, training for a marathon, fundraising for Tedy's Team, blogging and keeping on track with my food/water intake, I am exhausted but exhilerated!
Thank you all for sticking with me during the good, the bad and the ugly! This is certainly an adventure, but I wouldn't change anything for the world. The struggles make us stronger and make us appreciate the good!
