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As we go about our daily routines, many of us can feel like we are constantly running a race that does not seem to stop. Between hectic mornings where we rush to get ourselves to work and kids to school, to navigating the day to day busyness of our jobs, and then coming home and continuing on with the hurried schedule of kids activities, homework, and eating dinner all while striving to get everyone to bed at a reasonable hour. Or you may relate to having a job where you work well beyond a “typical” workday and find that by the time you finally are finished, you do not have much of the day left for yourself and what little you do have you feel too exhausted to do much of anything. How about parents with young children who may feel like they are on a hamster wheel? And these are the days where everything goes as planned. Well how often does that truly happen?
It is no wonder that we may find ourselves feeling tired, irritable, stressed, anxious, and overwhelmed for starters. While we may acknowledge that we want things to look different and to slow down the pace of things, we also might not know where to start and what to tackle first. In fact, some of you reading this may have set an intention this year to be more purposeful with your daily schedule and the activities you do individually and decide to do collectively as a family. In our previous blog about intention setting, it was discussed how it can be beneficial to set an intention, which focuses on the relationship with ourselves in the present moment to create internal change rather than a goal which often is achievement based and tied to specific outcomes in the future. While the excitement of the new year is typically the time that many people feel energized about creating intentions, by the time spring rolls around, you might find yourself not having given these a second thought. Or you may have taken steps and then lost steam. It does not hurt to give ourselves this gentle reminder: it is never too late to revitalize intentions. Let’s use trees blooming in spring as a metaphor for growth and new possibilities.
Now is the perfect time to check in with yourself. As an example, we can think of intentions that align with our practice’s name, Think Happy Live Healthy, such as the following:
I will focus on having meaningful connections with loved ones each week.
I will strive to show myself self-compassion on a daily basis.
I will help protect my peace by setting and maintaining healthy boundaries.
These intentions are rooted in the present, are open ended and phrased positively, and tie back to core values. Considering these factors, among others, can help you create intentions that truly resonate with you. Once you take the time to come up with intentions that you feel good about, then you can start thinking about how to build on those intentions and create healthy habits. Continuing with the first example intention listed above, here are a few ideas to get started:
Reflect on your routine: Starting from a place of what is working well currently can be a good place to begin. What activities are already happening that you would like to see more of? Are there certain times that naturally occur during the week that it would be easier to build off of when trying to connect? You may wish to break down your daily routine into smaller “chunks” of time to assist with exploring possibilities for prioritizing meaningful connections to help make this a habit.
Identify roadblocks proactively: Let’s say that you focusing on having meaningful connections with loved ones each week involves creating a work schedule that allows you to be home earlier on certain school nights to spend more time with family. Having a continuous practice of thinking through potential obstacles can help you determine if the plan you have created is reasonable, and if not, what would be useful to revise. Involving others to encourage accountability can also be very beneficial to navigating challenges that arise.
Focus on the “why”: It may be helpful to also think about the motivating factors that are influencing your intention, so in this example, striving to have meaningful connections with loved ones. Regularly reflecting on what the intention you have created means to you can increase your commitment to it. In other words, focusing on the bigger picture can lead you to feeling more grounded and committed to creating and maintaining healthy habits that are important to you.
As always, Think Happy Live Healthy is here to support you. Please reach out to us here.