“You are trying to do too much at once.”
“You are staying up too late.”
“You haven’t eaten all day.”
“You are not a runner.”
“Your heart is racing.”
“You are complaining more than you are being positive.”
“You are being grumpy.”
“You are not loving yourself.”
“You are overreacting to something that won't matter ten minutes from now.”
“You are frowning.”
When I hear these voices in my head, I don’t ignore them like I used to. Neither do I make excuses or get defensive. I make them like me instead:
- I lower my expectations. I remind myself nothing has to be perfect, just “good enough for now.”
- I turn away from the homework and turn toward my friends and family.
- I take a walk. Even ten minutes of fresh air and time with Molly helps me feel better and less overwhelmed.
- I silence myself with three words: “Only Love Today.”
- I resist the temptation to push myself beyond my limits and make a goal for getting one thing done at a time.
- I throw on a hat and stop caring about my appearance.
- I treat myself with kindness and compassion like I would a friend who is going through a hard time and doing her best.
- I say, “I cannot think about that right now,” and stop obsessing over things I cannot control.
- I remind myself that although things might not be going according to plan something better might evolve if I just let go.
- I stop trying to rush and instead leave myself enough time if I need to be somewhere. Surprisingly enough, I haven't been late to anything since I started this a few months go. Not even work!
- I close my eyes and say a little prayer asking to be aware of the glimmers of goodness in my day.
Whenever my rumble strips go off, I try to use one of those strategies to bring myself back home. These have helped me protect what is most important in my life. They help me be the human being and mom I want to be. They remind me that each moment holds a chance to start over even when I fail miserably. They keep me moving forward on my journey called life.
My friend, we cannot control all the circumstances of our life, but we can control some. When I was running in the race today I was faced with feelings of overwhelming joy, and I'm so glad I took a minute to evaluate: Is running in this heat easier than other hard things I've done? Is there someone I can cheer on? Is the feeling of home here somewhere? And finally, I asked: when I look back in September is this how I want to remember spending my summertime?
And the answer was - yes.
Each day I make it a priority to do something that brings me peace, fulfillment, and meaningful connection—even if it is only for a few minutes. This way, I'll never get so far from home that I can’t get back to what matters most.
*********
