Making the Right Choices

After a quiet lull of 15 days with no posting, I find myself sitting on my couch with a million things running through my head. If you didn't know, Paul and I took our half-term holiday in Tignes, France snowboarding the gorgeous Espace Killy. I actually did not work the entire week, and it was absolutely fantastic. I was going to bed early, waking up early and I was full of energy about half way through the week when I had recovered enough from the last few months of work. While I was there I read THIS article about "Why people shouldn't love you for who you are" and THIS article about the difference between rest and relaxation. It seemed these came at a perfect time for me, as they both really rang true. 

The first article talks about how you are really not just one, un-changeable person.  The part that really struck me was this:

"When people argue others should love them for who they are, they’re ignoring the fact that there are a multitude of people living inside of them, battling for control.

When you take up a new exercise regime you a war rages between Fat You and Skinny You. Fat You says that it’s cold outside and it’s going to hurt and the blankets are nice and who cares if you miss a day? Skinny You says that you’ll be happier, have more energy, be a better lover and be more likely to play with your kids. Each day you have to decide whether Fat You or Skinny You is going to win."

Last weekend I had the Fat Me v. Skinny Me battle. Do I want to wake up an hour before I have to so I can get a workout in? That morning, fat, sleepy, tired me won. But later that afternoon when I ate a super healthy dinner and did a tabata workout, I felt myself kick Fat Me to the curb, and it felt pretty good. Thinking of my battle with working out/being lazy seems a bit easier when I am just thinking about two parts of myself. What two parts are battling inside of you? 

Now, onto the next article. I seem to find myself in a rut most workdays. I suspect most working adults find this true as well. You wake up early, you work hard all day, you come home late and you have no energy. I KNOW I should go for a run and cook a healthy meal, and play a bit of guitar, and write in my journal but this happens far less often than I would like. I spend too many evenings checking email, watching the next TV show, but not doing the things that really help me rest. Instead I am using escapism to get away from the stress of everyday life. A glass of wine and a few shows seem to help me forget my stress for a bit, but the next morning I feel just as tired as I did before I slept. How is that possible? Does this sound familiar?

What the article (about rest and relaxation) explained was that we need to choose to do things that recharge our batteries, and eating junk (like delicious yummy chocolate) and watching a screen all evening (computer, iPad, TV, phone) is NOT rest.  The article says, 

"Rest is good sleep and nutritious food and activities that make you feel inspired and creatively recharged. It’s about replenishing what you’ve lost during the previous period of hard work so that you’re better able to pick it back up again and keep going down the road that’ll lead you to your dreams." 

So today, I am really changing. Other than the fact that I am looking at a screen to write this, I am going to spend more time doing things that recharge my battery and get me ready for another tomorrow. If I don't, I'm afraid I will wake up completely burned out with no more energy to give. And that is a terrible decision to make. With more wisely chosen rest days coming up, and a few designated work-free evenings, I hope to be more on an even keel. 

I hope one of these articles can help you make a little improvement in your life too :)