Same Blog, New Rules

If you’ve been following my blog for any length of time, you’ve probably noticed that I’m blogging less frequently than before. You probably also know that I am a big proponent of taking care myself, before anything else.

If you’re new to my blog, welcome! And to catch you up: I've reduced my blogging frequency from three times a week to once a week. Why? Because I’m taking my own advice, walking the talk, practicing what I preach.

I live with chronic pain and illness, and as such I have to be careful not to overdo it, take on too much or overcommit. While I was away on vacation recently I had some time to reflect on my life, and here is what I realized: publishing my book, Aches, Pains, and Love, while an awesome experience, really knocked the stuffing out of me.

I’ve been going full blast (relative to my regular turtle speed) since before Christmas, and it’s caught up to me. I’m more tired, experiencing more pain, and feeling good old depression creeping in, which it does when my pain and fatigue increase. My body is sending me a clear message that I need to back off, so I’m going to listen. I learned this lesson the hard way, and I don’t want to have to learn it again. In this case, backing off includes blogging only once a week.

I’d also like to take this opportunity to check in with you:

How are you doing?
Has your body been trying to tell you anything lately?
What is it attempting to communicate to you?

Take a pause and listen to your body, then act accordingly. When you push through things, and fight, fight, fight, while admirable, you may find that you start heading towards burnout and health problems. You’ll find you come up against much less resistance from your body when you take care of yourself before anything else. So take inventory now. Listen to your body now. And take action to take care of yourself now. There is no better time than now to make things easier for yourself.

How can you make life easier on your body, you ask? Here are some ideas:

Work less overtime.
Hire a housekeeper or cleaning service.
Go to the doctor if you've been putting it off.
Get at least seven to eight hours of sleep per night, every night.
Eat at regular intervals (every three to four hours).
Say no to invitations you don’t want to accept. It’s ok, the world isn't going to end.
Don’t over-pack your schedule. If you feel overwhelmed by how much you have on your to-do list, reduce it: simplify, eliminate, delegate, or postpone.
Break the umbilical cord to your phone. Put your phone down for an hour and enjoy some peace and relaxation.

Try some of my ideas, or come up with your own. Either way, take good care of yourself from your fingers to your toes, and I'll see you next Monday!