I’m still sick and finding it extremely difficult to string coherent sentences together. Luckily, this happened just in time to save me from posting something nonsensical today.
Once more information becomes available, I may share some more detailed thoughts.
But for now, I would just like to wish the Holy Father the best of luck. I’ll be praying for him.
I have managed to make it through most of this winter’s cold and flu season without feeling sick. Until this weekend…
Saturday I felt fine during work, but then during my afternoon run, I really struggled. I powered through and even went to my nephews birthday party that night. After the party, the Pilot wanted to go meet up with a buddy for a few beers and I just knew I couldn’t do it. I had the Pilot drop me off at home, told him to have a great time and I crawled into bed at about 9:30.
I slept off and on and into Sunday morning I progressively felt worse and worse each time I woke up. Sore throat, scratchy voice, low energy, dizzy upon standing, labored breathing, and slightly achy. I took yesterday “off,” as best I know how. I still did laundry and dusted, but didn’t work out and tried to lay in bed. The Pilot was amazingly attentive. If he hadn’t responded so awesomely, I probably wouldn’t be a work today.
I feel better today than I did yesterday, but still not great. I have zero concentration which made driving to work and therapy very difficult tasks. But again, I’m going to power through. I’m going to do less than I would on a completely healthy day, but more than I would do on a completely sick day.
When you are sick, do you muscle through and keep going? Or do you rest and recuperate? I try to find a balance between both approaches, but sometimes my body just won’t do as much as I want it to or it takes so long I get frustrated and stop. everything feels so much more laborious when I’m sick.
I am incredibly thankful I am not down and out with the flu, but having a cold is frustrating because there is really nothing you can do other than let it run it’s course and I’m not a very patient person…
This week I took a big step and planned out my work outs. I carefully looked at my schedule figuring out what I was capable of doing, on what day, at what time. Typically, I vaguely commit to working out and then do to a lack of any real planning and organization, something gets in the way and I don’t do it.
With this approach, I decided that Thursday was going to be my rest day. I was working from 11 to 7 and seeing 6 clients during that time. I knew there was no way I would work out before work and I knew I wouldn’t want to work out after that kind of day.
Then Wednesday came around and a string of several crises' got in the way of my day working out as I had envisioned (including my pre-planned work out). Slowly, but surely, Thursday’s schedule started to shift and I realized I could work out on Thursday and make Wednesday my rest day.
This week, my commitment to working out was planned and strong. Being that detailed, helped me remain committed to working out, instead of throwing in the towel like I would have on other weeks. But, also, I wasn’t so hyper focused that I wasn’t able to problem solve and switch things around.
That was a great victory for this “all or nothing” girl!
My blog header alludes to the idea that Spirit is supposed to be tied with my religious identity as a Catholic woman and recently my posts have followed suited, especially with Confirmation right around the corner.
But my Spirit really encompasses so much more.
My religious spirit is Catholic. But I also utilize other spiritual practices; yoga, meditation and Sanskrit chanting (to name a few). My spirit also includes my soul, psyche and emotional well-being (as in “keeping your spirits up,” or “broken spirit”).
This is a short and long way of informing you, dear readers, that future Mastering Spirit posts might include other spiritual ideas, not just religious ones.
What does Spirit mean to you? What topics would you write about, if you were blogging about Spirit?
As I mentioned in last week’s Mastering Body post, I am starting to train for multiple half marathons throughout this race season.
The first race is Sunday March 24. 3 weeks away now! In order to run this race, I’ve got to get back into distance running shape. Sounds easier than it is.
The first week of training the long run was only 4 miles, which was very manageable for me. The following week, I was able to run all my prescribed runs, but my long run had to be shortened from 6 miles to 5 because of time constraints. Then this week, running was just no on my radar. I barely followed my plan at all, ran a horrible 7 miles and feel terrified to double that distance in 3 weeks.
However, after yesterdays run, I’m realizing 2 important lessons.
Now that I’ve made these realizations and connections this weeks training schedule and life plan looks very different. Hopefully, next week I can report back a much better, more prepared feeling about having to run 13.1 miles in 2 weeks.
At job interviews when people ask me what my weaknesses are, I always answer, “I’m a perfectionist and a procrastinator.”
When projects are assigned, right off the bat, I typically have thousands of great ideas. However, because of my perfectionistic tendencies, I become overwhelmed by my own ideas, buckle under the pressure, procrastinate and then end up turning in good (but not great or perfect) work.
Because of that process, deadlines are my best friend and worst enemy. They are my best friend because at least they at least require the work to be completed, otherwise I could put it off for forever. They are my worst enemy because, as they approach my work seems to get sloppier and more frenetic.
Today is my worst nightmare in regards to deadlines. I started out this morning finishing up a work assignment that was actually due yesterday. Now I am writing this post 15 minutes before it’s supposed to post. And what am I actually supposed to be doing today? Taxes! I told the Pilot, my tax stuff would be organized and totaled by this weekend and told myself I would spend all day on Friday on it. Well here is Friday and I haven’t even started!
I know I could do incredible work, if I learned to start earlier and budget my time better. But, I only remember this procrastination cycle throughout my whole life (elementary, middle, high school and college).
My approach to work changed drastically in grad school. And, as I write this, I can’t for the life of me remember, what motivated me to stay so on top of things. But, even if I could, would that same attitude be what motivates me now? I kind of doubt it.
I think my best approach at this point is to make mini deadlines, that keep me on track before the big deadline and tell someone (maybe the Pilot?) about the mini deadlines, so the accountability is there.
Although, I would really love to discover a bit more personal accountability and motivation. That’s a deadline for another day.
How do you handle deadlines? Do you crave the structure? Buckle under pressure? Do you avoid the project? Or do you get it done days before it’s due?
Any advice you have, would be greatly appreciated!!
This is going to be a short post. “Making Time” really has multiple meanings, one of which being, I am making time (a very small amount) to write this blog post.
The past 2 weekends have been extremely busy. Our schedules have been jam packed both days. Despite the crazy schedules I am proud to say that The Pilot and I made it a priority to get to church both weekends.
We had to literally sit down, look at our schedules, look at the church schedule, plan what works for us, and commit to it. Church has to become just as much of a commitment as all of the other things on our schedule.
It feels good to make a commitment and stick too it. I really wish my mentality about making time for Church would bridge to other aspects of my life.
