So I’m wrapping up Week 1 of my Getting of a Rut plan and I feel a thousand times better. The action steps I have put in place are making me feel more in control and more optimistic. At the end of the week, and especially in the last few days since my last post, I feel like my message is to be present.
I’m also finding…
- my mood has been much brighter
- I am much calmer, more relaxed
- feeling less stress
- enjoying moments more
My six action steps were:
- Committing to an exercise program.
- Committing to running.
- Committing to yoga.
- Committing to writing.
- Committing to meditation.
- Committing to clean eating.
And here’s where I’m at, one week into the whole thing:
- I am planning to start a new exercise program on October 1st. In the meantime, I want to alternate running and strength workouts. I did that this week, though I did decide to give myself Friday mornings off to catch up on other important things. It’s funny, but committing to exercise is the easiest one for me and I’m not too worried about sticking with it. I feel adrift when I’m not doing a particular “program” (usually a Beachbody program) but I have come to love and need exercise.
- I ran for 3 days this past week! I’m very proud of that. Two of those days were in the early morning hours before I get the kids up for school. It felt good.
- I went to two yoga classes and signed up for a 1-month membership at a yoga place I really like. I’m proud of myself, as this one can make me feel a little nervous, a little outside my comfort zone.
- I have written every day! I haven’t published a post every day, but I have contributed to one each day. And I’ve written in my journal every morning.
- I have meditated every day this week, sometimes twice! I even went to a guided meditation and loved it. This week has made me realize how important this one is, and I hope that motivates me to keep it up.
- This is probably the step that’s the hardest for me lately. I love clean eating and I know it’s good for me, but my rut has hit the hardest here. The first few days of this week were great. Then it was my birthday and it’s been downhill since. But on the bright side- I haven’t been going too crazy. I didn’t have seconds of my birthday cake, I haven’t binged. So I’m hopeful that I can get back on track tomorrow.
I’m also loving the book- May Cause Miracles by Gabrielle Bernstein. It really feels like it’s keeping me in alignment. You read a little in the morning and a little at night. Having the day bookended like that feels good.
Overall, my mood is much better. I have felt much less stress, less anxiety. My birthday was more enjoyable than usual. I feel like I’m staying positive and cutting negative thoughts in the bud.
So that brings me to my message of the last few days: Be Present.
There are plenty of things we could let ourselves worry about but if we focus on the moment we’re in it’s easier to enjoy things.
When you’re in a rut it’s easy to let your mind wander to those things that are keeping you down or stressing you out. But that’s part of the vicious cycle that is a rut.
So catch yourself when your mind wanders to those nagging thoughts. Redirect your thoughts, like you’re physically changing where your gaze falls. Use your senses to bring you into the present- take note of what the light is like, what you smell, the sounds in the background. Be present in the moment.
All that stuff you worry about will be there. Finding joy or just really connecting to a moment in time allows you to take a break from the rut- to peek your head out and take a breath.
Do you have to remind yourself to be present sometimes? Is it easy to let your mind wander off to the worry list instead of enjoying something happening now?
I’d love to hear from you and how you work through a rut! Comment here, email me (mary@stayathomefit.com), or reach out to me on Facebook…
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