Celebrate the Small Victories

Initially, this blog was a school project about personal change and journaling the process. Somehow this is transforming into something more. When I started this journey, I wanted to change my health and wellness habits with regular exercise. As a former athlete, regular exercise should be an easy task; however, I tend to think, rethink, evaluate the rethinking, then reevaluate the rethinking of the thinking, which becomes overwhelming. Just five short weeks ago, I used to:

• Purchase breakfast from Starbucks or McDonald's;

• Order lunch from McDonald's or Chipotle;

• Walk 2.5-3-mile walks on the park trails twice a week;

• Meet task and assignment deadlines;

• Read and write daily; and

• Drive a long commute to and from work;

Presently, I can say I have made some small victories. These small victories are stepping stones to significant triumphs. I have been tracking my progress.

Here is what I am doing:

• Drinking a bottle of water before bed and when I wake up

• Packing breakfast and lunch to work;

• Driving a shorter commute to and from work because my daughter is enrolled in daycare;

• Meeting work deadlines;

• Planning and adjust my daily schedule every morning;

• Unplugging on the weekends; and

• Visiting the chiropractor weekly.

Honestly, there are some things I should be doing every day, but I am not. Truthfully, I have been lazy and procrastinating. I could point the blame on everything and everyone, but that's not taking accountability for my actions. What are some things I could do?

I could:

1. Go for walks/runs around the park/trails;

2. Eat more plant-based meals;

3. Drink less coffee in the morning;

4. Read and write 2-4 hours a day;

5. Exercise for 20-30 minutes in the morning before I start my day; and

6. Journal my thoughts daily.

The mere fact that I can recognize my faults, and seek improvement solutions, is a victorious celebration! I plan to go to bed and wake up earlier to accomplish my current and future goals. Meaning, if I go to bed between 8:30-9:00 pm, I won't feel as sluggish between 4:00- 4:30 am. Also, between 4:00-6:30 am, I will have time to complete an in-house workout session, feed/nurse my child back to sleep, eat breakfast, and get ready for work. I downloaded the app “Fabulous - Daily Self Care,” a goal planner and tracker based on science. I recommend the app, but keep in mind after the first free week, there is a monthly subscription.