3 Steps to Getting Back On Track

Ever felt like a bit of your world has run completely off the rails?

Maybe a pandemic, a health crisis, or an unexpected expense comes along…

Maybe the demands (or absences) of a particularly weird holiday season pulled your attention…

Or maybe, as has been the case with me, a super demanding work schedule has all but taken over.

It happens.

And sometimes it’s even ok. Sometimes, one part of your life NEEDS to draw most of your focus for a bit.

It’s when that bit lingers long enough that it begins to interfere with other bits that it’s time to step in.

For me that means months of eating at my desk, forgoing walks, and missing Pilates.

All work and no play make Wendy a dull (and chubby) girl.

As you know, a lot of the work I do with people is about finding balance – and that’s why this is so important.

Balance isn’t about a life in perfect harmony 100% of the time.

It’s about living all-in, about staying aligned with what you value, and about noticing when some part of that is off kilter so you can re-adjust.

If balance didn’t require re-adjustment it would be called something else.

This Week: RESTORING BALANCE

1. NOTICE: For regular readers of Mindfulness Monday, you’ll recognize that this is often the first step. You can’t adjust what you don’t notice. And to notice, you’ll need to be in the present moment.

Create a practice of checking in with yourself each day. Take a couple of deep breaths, notice any tension you’re holding, pay attention to how you feel.

Another way is to set a trip-wire for yourself. Mine is a little Ficus tree in my office. When I’m taking good care of myself (when my life is in balance) I also take good care of the Ficus. As soon as I see little yellow leaves on my desk, I know I’ve been neglecting her – and it always turns out, neglecting myself as well.

2. CHOOSE: Warning – this is the most overlooked step. Most people tend to jump from NOTICE into ACTION (usually with a ration of guilt, blame or self-judgement included…aka “How did I do this to myself again???”)

Start by dumping all that guilt and blame stuff – remember, the scales tipping both ways is part of balance – and think about what actions will serve you best.

Chances are the shame induced actions you might have jumped into would have been an over-reaction not suited to your current needs.

Ask yourself, “what can I do that would serve me best right now? What would feel a bit more balanced?”

3. ACT: Commit to ONE SMALL ACTION to bring you back in line. Don’t overdo it here. Believe me, small actions add up.

Me? I’ll be taking a walk as soon as I upload this post.

See you all in 2021!