So after my very tired morning yesterday, I had a very tired day. 🙂 Surprising. 🙂
But I’m actually proud of myself, because I felt very in tune to how I was feeling and what I needed. I think past versions of myself might have tried to “power through”, or say, “No excuses, toughen up!!”.
Maybe it’s that I’m closer to 40 now or maybe it’s all the recent work on self-development, but I feel a slightly less pull to force things. I mean, I’m still a total upholder personality and I like challenging myself. But I feel more open and willing to adapt and adjust as needed to try to feel my best.
Adaptations
Here’s a few things I did yesterday in an attempt to “embrace” my foggy brained, tired self and make the best of it:
🔷 Did my reading first thing (because I KNOW later in the day I would be even more tired and it wouldn’t happen)
🔷Before sitting down to start work, I went for my 20 minute walk. (I’ve been walking later in the day, but the weather was incredible and the morning was too beautiful to miss.) I listened to a podcast and the fresh air helped.
🔷Decided to work OUTSIDE! In Wisconsin, on November 9th. Yes. Can’t believe it’s true, but it happened. Again, fresh air/ breeze kept me AWAKE.
🔷Made the choice to swap my super high intense cardio workout that was on the schedule for the next one down the list- a 22 min Freestyle Flow yoga workout. I did this on my lunch break and it felt perfect.
🔷This one is just a coincidence, but I’m thinking it needs to become a regular occurrence: Planned leftovers for dinner!!! No cooking on Monday night is actually kind of genius.
I ended up feeling pretty good about my day. Of course, it helped a lot that I didn’t have too many “have to do” things that were out of my control, like a bunch of annoying meetings or appointments. So, I’m grateful for that too. But I tried to sort of lean into the fact that I was going to be tired, and it worked out okay.
Remember those pics of the boys raking leaves on Sunday?? Well, I almost died laughing when on Monday morning we opened the sunroom blinds and this is how the back yard looks again.
Bahahahaha! The boys were like, “WHAT?!?!?!” We just raked all of that!!!” Welcome to life, my sons. You clean it up, and then someone (or a massive oak tree) comes by and messes it up again. Karma. 😉
Check out this pretty sky! As the sun went down, it was still SO MILD and warm that the kids rollerbladed and scootered and skateboarded around the cul-de-sac for a half hour before dinner. I decided to have a cup of tea and sit out on our front patio and watch them/ read my book. Colder November weather is moving back in today, so we wanted to soak up the warmth before it’s gone for good.
After an early bedtime last night, I’m feeling more energetic today. Guess that means I have to do the cardio workout. 😬
Daily Gratitude:
I am grateful for this new mug I bought for myself!! It’s a 22 oz Christmas mug and I am super excited to use it this season.
GRATEFUL KAE 
We had nice weather in the morning here and then the rain set in and we might get 4-7″ of snow today. Bleh. I am not ready for that. Paul has been asking to use his scooter when he gets home from school… but those days are probably done for, unless we get some mild weekend weather. I’m just not ready for winter/cold weather! But ready or not, it’s coming so I might put up our tree extra early this year, like this coming weekend if I’m feeling ok w/ flares.
It is good to listen to our bodies and adjust plans – but harder for upholders like ourselves. I have gotten better at lowering expectations for myself, especially after having a child. I sadly can’t operate at the level I used to in terms of work, working out, socializing, etc. I tell myself this is a phase of life and things will adjust some day so it’s better to listen to my body and seek out rest when it’s necessary. I look forward to NOT being pregnant and being back on good drugs so my RA behaves. I know I’ll be tired from a newborn, but that’s a different kind of tired from what I am currently experiencing!
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being in tune with our body and energy level is key to success (mentally wise). I also learned it during the pandemic. as women, we go through hormonal cycles too and being more in tune with my body made me realise that our energy level depends also on the cycle phase I am, in addition to sleep (which is #1 determinant of energy level and more so as I age).
glad you had a great day!
loving the new mug. i’m a mug collector but stopped doing that because we run out of place to keep them. haahha.
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Oh, I am so impressed with your ability to adapt to how you felt on Monday. I am, quite frankly, terrible at that. I have improved somewhat – e.g., sleeping in a bit when I am really really tired – but overall, I aspire to do what you did.
I am dying laughing at the leaves. Karma, indeed!
And I would love to know where you got that mug! 22 oz is amazing!
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Believe it or not, I got the mug at our local grocery store!!! It was only $4.95, too!! A total steal and lucky find 🙂
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