What do I even write about today? I’m not feeling ultra inspiring or inspired. Right now, life for me is a balance of two sides: things I want to do (feeling positive pressure), and things I know I should be doing (ahem…some guilty feelings here). I look at my wall and feel happy and sad at the same time because there are pictures of adventures Curtis and I have gone on (fond memories)…but we don’t have any more travel adventures planned right now. Pressure. Stress. I feel desire for my dreams to become reality. I think, “I should clean my room. And my house. And my yard. And how long has it been since I bathed my children? That mountain of laundry doesn’t look so big when it’s not all in one spot, so I think I’ll just leave the mini mountains where they are.” But there’s so much hope mixed in there along with the guilt. I played a game with my son for 30+ minutes today! And I enjoyed it! So that was a big mom win. My daughter spilled a small $15 container of Boba balls on the floor and I didn’t feel angry. I made a phone call I was really scared to make and it went really well! I get to go on a date with my husband tonight! My niece is getting married tomorrow and I LOVE weddings!
There are people I know who think I’m perfect. They probably know I’m not, but the image I present to the majority of people is that I have life figured out and under control. Is this true? In some ways, no. In other ways…I’m still learning. I think a big part of why I portray this image of myself (do you do this too?) is because I don’t want to burden anyone with my troubles/concerns/worries. I don’t want to draw attention to myself.
Why do these thoughts matter or need to be shared with anyone? It’s just scattered thoughts…confusion really. But I think it’s real. It’s relatable. And that means you or someone you know feels this way too. So, is it bad? Is it wrong to feel so conflicted? For my part, I think it’s just part of being human. But there are times when it’s necessary to let people see the real you, to understand that you have problems and are human too.
So what to do with all of these scattered thoughts and emotions? Should I just leave be? Or should I do something with them? I’ve done both and option #2 (doing something with them) usually leaves me feeling more fulfilled and satisfied. SO!
TIPS TO SORT THROUGH THE NOISE IN MY HEAD
Tip #1: Acknowledge the Thoughts
Write them down. Computer, paper, cardboard…it doesn’t matter. Write down what you’re thinking and feeling. The reason this helps is because a lot of the time the noise in your head is so loud, so overwhelming, it feels like you’re going to get lost in it. But if you write it down, the majority of the time the list is much more manageable than you realized when everything was vying for your attention in your mind.
Tip #2: Acknowledge the Good
What did you do that was good and awesome? Look for the good and more good with come to you. The law of attraction is the real deal.
Tip #3: Make a Plan of Action
I’ve got some ADHD tendencies…so when I make a plan of action, I need some serious motivation if I’m going to get this done. I feel motivated under two circumstances: I have a deadline (ex: “Someone is coming to my house, so I WILL clean it before they come!” OR “We have to leave the house at 3:00 sharp if we’re going to make it to the zoo with enough time before it closes!”) or I tell someone I’m going to do something and I know they’re going to ask me about it the next time I see them, so I should do the thing so they don’t have to ask me about it again (this is why I actually make that phone call today and why I’m writing a blog post this afternoon–thank you Megan and Maddie for checking up on me!). If you need motivation, find it and then make your plan! Here’s how you make your plan: look at the list you made of all the things going on in your head. Give each one a number: 1, 2, or 3. 1 is of most importance. 2, is medium importance, and 3 is least important. After you’ve got everything numbered, look at the number one items and star three of them. These three are what you’re going to focus on first.
Tip #3: Put Your Plan Into Action
Do your three things. If you have more time after the three things are done, go for three more, but start with three.
Tip #4: Reward Yourself
Do something for yourself whether it’s taking a bath, eating some of your favorite chocolate, going for a walk, or playing your favorite game with your spouse. My reward today is a date with my husband! Yay!
Just as you make time for the needs of others, make time for the needs you have too.
