Monday 27 August 2012

Self-care is Priority Today



I spent the last two months at camp, sitting in the sun, relaxing with my kids and friends. I've had the best summer ever. One that I could truly say I remembered and enjoyed.  I've  managed to quit drinking July 16th, only having two slip-ups. I drove home today to face the real stresses of my life and all the things that have to get done.


Jen's To-Do List
Have to shop for kids school supplies/clothes.
Have to get my classroom ready.
Have to reorganize my house because my ex is moving out tomorrow and it looks like a twister went through here.
Have to help take care of my little sister, who asked to live with me because she can't do it alone.  I haven't made that decision yet. 
 Have to help my son pay for college/book
Have to start bringing son to hockey practices and basketball practices
Have to drive my daughter to dance class and singing lessons.
Have to share my kids with their father when they don't want to go there.
Have to close up camp.
Have to train for half-marathon
Have to stay sober.


My To-Do list is too damn long!  I'm tired just thinking of all I have to do this fall and winter. 

All these things that are on my list will have to wait and I will do things one at a time, as much as I can at a time. My first priorities will be to stay sober and run!  I'm going to keep running my heart out because if I don't, I'll go back to feeling like shit about myself and then the voices will start convincing me that I should have a drink to relax my body. I will also continue to blog and comment on blogs because this is what has helped me stay sober. 

I will not forget how far I've come and I will not forget how good my body and mind feels today. 

Tomorrow,I'll do what I can on my list but Taking care of ME will be first. For years I've felt guilty about taking care of me first, whether I was buying myself a pair of shoes, getting a haircut,running, working out, or drinking a glass of wine to relax. But I read in a meditation book yesterday that we need to take care of ourselves first before we are even able to think about our TO-DO lists. We all have them and if we let them overwhelm us, our minds go stir-crazy. So I'm going to do what I can today, tomorrow and the next day.  One person can only do so much in one day.  What gets done, gets done...
The rest will just have to wait. 

5 comments:

  1. Put the one at the bottom up at the top and you are doing GREAT!!!!!! xxxx Sending you lots of love and hugs and support. It is really really hard to give up our friend and supporter booze (we think it's that, but really it's the enemy) and you've done it. So huge huge ups to you. Concentrate on that first and all the other things will flow into place. xxx

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  2. this is what your screen saver should say: "I will not forget how far I've come and I will not forget how good my body and mind feels today." and i'd put sober and running as numbers #1 and #2 on your list :) school supplies - boring! get them tomorrow! being sober? yes, gotta do that today no matter what, and you've gotta make it EASY to be sober, so you need sober supplies :) (like tonic water and cranberry juice and enough sleep, and enough to eat). Hugs to you :)

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  3. Sometimes we put too much "have-to" in our lives... maybe try replacing the "have-to" with "I will". Then you will see what is most important for you:

    I will shop for kids school supplies/clothes.
    I will get my classroom ready.
    I will reorganize my house because my ex is moving out tomorrow and it looks like a twister went through here.
    ......
    I will stay sober.

    Does'nt it sound a little easier to tackle this way?

    Most things in life is a choice... and it's up to you how you "will" deal with life.

    Take it one thing at a time sis. xoxoxoxo

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  4. Ditto to moving Staying Sober to the top of the list.

    Something I read a long time ago was to only put on a To Do list what you could accomplish in the course of your day. While this seems like a no-brainer as I looked at my list I finally understood why I always felt defeated at the end of the day. It was an ah-ha moment.

    Now, if my list is too long I make a second list of only what I can accomplish today and that is the one I work from, the only one I look at. So simple yet so effective and freeing.

    And at the top of my list these days? Stay sober......of course.

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  5. Hey Jen, remember how on plane when the oxygen masks drop down you are meant to put yours on first before helping others.... You look after yourself so you CAN do what you need to do, and sobriety is such a biig part of that. Hope it goes okay tomorrow for you, Paul.

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