"To Be" Planning Wellness

Movement and nourishment tend to be at the forefront of my mind. I care about being strong and healthy. I crave the challenge that running brings and the fulfillment that comes from making a meal at home. These actions require a level of effort that I find my mind is not consistently eager to achieve. I have found myself running here and there and eating an unjoyous meal out of tiredness and lack of motivation. Ahh, being a human. These choices were(still are) followed with feelings of shame and guilt. The pattern, you know it... ya?

Simple fix Zo, you just need to get more exercise in. You have to make more conscious decisions when choosing food. You should be drinking more water today. You shouldn't commit to a movie tonight.

All these statements do is simply unfold self-judgment. This language clearly has not helped inspire or motivate change. Words like "should, need, and have" are demanding and express a high level of intensity. We all know that when things feel intense we often avoid (AKA. procrastinate). Some real-life examples that may be relatable but not limited to are: A giant pile of laundry, that research paper due Monday, and/or shoveling the snow off the driveway. This is all so linked to the intensity of being active and eating healthy. I often feel like it's all or nothing. It's a 10 km run or the entire The Hobbit series in a weekend. It's a massively complicated salad made from vegetables that I am unsure know how to spell or a 2 cheeseburger meal from Mcdonalds'. I want to carve out time in my days for movement and meals from a mindful state. Am I actually hungry? How do I feel right now? Would a run serve me best at this time or would a walk feel just as good? I am so used to using demanding words that I may not even recognize when I am using this language. My desire is to become aware of when I use it then aim to replace those words with: "Hope, wish, and like". What would I like to do to move and how often?

This is where planning comes into play. Humans function well with routine, kids crave it, believe me.

I am a few weeks into a running schedule that's 3x a week. It's planned and I know about it and I have found that I stop thinking about it. It just happens, so I do not need to keep pestering myself for when I will run or if I will run. I want to run and I look forward to it! Of course, hormones can kick in causing fluctuating moods and fatigue may set in from lack of sleep. When it does, the mindset of mindfulness is always there. Setting up expectations that we will perfect is a demand. We, humans, are imperfectly whole and wonderful - at all times.

Setting a schedule for movement applies to our meal plans and self-care regimes. Prioritizing these acts inevitably increases our wellness. It takes time to plan and do, certainly but if we look at these acts through the lens of optimal wellness and happiness - it is worth the time~ it is our life. We book appointments all the time for our cars, hair, pets, and events. You are worth booking time in for you! What do you wish to do & how often? Maybe it's reading, walking, dancing, painting. Maybe it is for 21 minutes. Schedule it to take off the pressure.

I hope your day is as bright as the sun and as warm as your heart.

Reach out if you would like to share the actions that you wish to make happen and why it means so much to you!

With love and kindess,

Zoey Fern.