I have been reading about how to best deal with stress and also how to gain mental strength during my runs. Little did I realize at the time(s), but the two are much the same. It’s all stress, part negative and part positive, and I’m trying to learn how to channel it. What I found out in both scenarios:
-Breath. This is obvious, but often compromised. When I’m overwhelmed and annoyed AND when I’m tired and fatigued–I’m breathing shallow. Panting, instead of getting proper oxygen to my lungs, brain, muscles, cells. At work and on the track, when I find myself at a stressed point, first thing I need to do is breathe the way I know I’m supposed to.
-Have a mantra. At first, this sounded like some new-agey, yoga thing. But after a couple of days to ponder, I decided it couldn’t hurt and might help. And a really good one came to me when I wasn’t even trying to find one anymore. “I’m not alone.” Whether I’m at work, in my relationship, doing loads of chores, or exercising, I tend to feel like the weight of the world is on my shoulders. This makes me feel stressed, angry, hopeless, and resentful. I hope my calming mantra will remind me that it’s never all up to me. I have co-workers, employers that may understand, patience that I underestimate in clients, my mate and my parents who believe in my and believe in my attributes, prior knowledge, books, and internet, and music to ease my mind, and faith in God. I’m never alone, and I shouldn’t feel as if I am. At work, I can think of this and know that I can’t do EVERYthing myself. On the track, I can think of the motivational quotes, the high school workouts, and the strength I know I possess. I am not alone will empower me and calm me simultaneously.
-Focus my life around my most important priority, and make every decision based on this #1 goal. I just need to keep my Audiology goal at the forefront of my mind, well-being close behind, and family third. Work, preoccupies far too much of my worry and anxiety and stress when it is only in 4th place–for the income.
-Remember who I WANT to be, not what I feel at that moment or what the circumstances are driving me to become. Maybe in the past, I haven’t reacted exactly how I would like in an ideal world. But I can change this and become the person that I desire with every new decision.
So for tomorrow–horrible, Forster Friday featuring dead weight LVT, I just need to remember I’m not alone, can’t do it all, and I can remain cheery. The people will just have to wait a little longer–it’s not my intention or fault, but I alone, can’t preclude it. I won’t stress out trying. I will do all I can do (without going crazy or becoming resentful) as well and as fully as I can do it. Everything else is going to have to go to someone else–or get down slower.
And maybe this belongs in another post, but I want to list my goals because part of the stress is in trying to find time to get everything done during these last 32 more days before the semester commences again. During a string of work like this I find myself AT work, or recovering FROM work. Writing it down will keep it in one place, and remind me that the goals are achievable–not overwhelming.
Learning:
-Outline the rest of the pathology chapter in Hearing Disorders
-Outline as much (all) Aural Rehab I have time for
-Finish the Hearing notebook by sketching out the anatomy
-Outline the hearing chapter in Netters
-Format my sign language power-point & format it.
School Preparedness:
-Grocery shop for all toiletries needed during a semester
-get ink, paper, notebooks, & project folders for the year
-cut down index cards for flashcards
-renew Costco membership
-process 2014 loan paperwork
-obtain school loan for this year
-call all undergrad loan companies for info
-process all non-payment paperwork for all loans
-file all papers in file boxes
-find recipes & get ingredients for quick meals
-make baggies of one-step meals to freeze
-clean
-get new internet set up & cords controlled
Yard Sale:
-pick & confirm a firm date
-finish making sale signs
-make price boxes
-collect & take last min sale items from home/Aunt Linda’s
-borrow tarps @ work
-pick sign locations
-organize merch into prices
-get change
-remember cash box & calculator
-print out charity info
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