SPOILED, IN A GOOD WAY

I woke up this morning with indecision and a pit in my stomach. Something was off, which is a rare feeling these days. Tossing and turning at 5:30 this morning, my head was a chatterbox – saying nothing! This is not how I usually wake up. No.

I’LL ADMIT: I AM SPOILED!

95% of my days start with blue skies and a cheery song in my heart. I typically work out on weekday mornings and love how I feel when I am done! This is part of my non-negotiable self-care plan (which also includes sleeping late on Sundays).

Living with simplicity, routine and structure work well for me. Self-care is comprised of many self-loving acts throughout my day. I book-end my days with self-care and love myself in between! I am spoiled in the best possible way.

To be real with you, I always want to feel good! Here are the 5 steps I took to work through “it” so I would authentically be my blissfully cheery self:

1. Do 100% of my Monday morning chores.
2. Journal to dig a little deeper and get to the root.
3. Attend to what needs my attention, which could be to make an appointment, go to sleep, admit and face something, finish a project, return a call, scoop the litter, check on a friend – or get up and go.
4. Get out of my head by talking out loud about something goofy, singing a song, taking a walk, playing with the cats, and laughing.
5. Go about my day with a smile – inside and out – even if I feel remnants of the pit because steps 1 through 4 are now working their magic on me and the pit is dissipating.

LAUGHTER DOES A BODY GOOD.

Erma Bombeck wrote several funny books, including, “If Life Is a Bowl of Cherries, What Am I Doing in the Pits?” She faced reality with a fantastic sense of humor. It’s hard not to laugh when reading a little Erma.

I do love funny books and movies – yet, sometimes I have something to heal so that my laughter is real and not simply a momentary distraction.

Remember, I’m spoiled. I want the real deal, the gold – being clear, clean, pure, transparent, and light.

The cleaner I am inside and out, the easier life is. My days are typically effortless which makes for a wonderful backdrop with which to do my mission, purpose, and passion.

Growing up in recovery and staying committed to continued personal and professional growth, I’ve healed the heaviness of addiction, trauma, and shame in my life and cleaned up my side of the street. Healing is medicine. I usually face the day as free as a bird – eager and chipper for what’s ahead.

Once I’m back to belly laughing, I know I’m golden. Not only is it fun, it feels good to laugh. Laughter comes with awesome energy and lifts me from being so serious or worrying about something that, in reality, is insignificant.

Last week I called my sister in the middle of the workday after cracking myself up with something super silly. I howled with laughter and connected with her while doing so. I love our happy sister moments!

PINPOINT THE PAIN.

If you have a pit in the bottom of your stomach and can’t quite pinpoint the pain (or just want someone to work it through), let’s talk. While some pits only scratch the surface and can be cleared quickly – most of us have triggers that rear up when we water down the self-care plan or get loose on boundaries.

In my case this morning, here’s what I came to:

• A few personal things are nagging at me. I was avoiding them and am now addressing them.
• This week I celebrate turning 60 and my XXXIV recovery birthday – I get pensive this time of year.
• I am tackling a lot in my work and hadn’t dedicated the thought space to brainstorm (which I love).
• I had said yes to too many things for this morning. (TIP: Having a good intention is not a complete decision-making strategy.)

As a certified life coach, licensed master social worker, and consultant, I will help you identify and resolve your roadblocks so you can achieve your dreams and goals. I invite you to book a session with me. This will be an hour that’s all about you. Bring something to be coached on and let’s do brave, meaningful work together.