Showing posts with label challenges. Show all posts
Showing posts with label challenges. Show all posts

Friday, June 15, 2018

Challenges to goals - The smallest possible step

Challenges to Goals


We all want to accomplish something in our lives.  However we also all face challenges and struggle with how to implement the things we want to do.  Often, we are overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of ALL the changes we need to make to accomplish our goals.  

What to do?  

Perhaps you will find this helpful.  Break the goal down into chunks.  Then find the SMALLEST possible chunk to move you just a tiny-toe-movement closer to your goal.

What might this look like?

Well, if you want to "exercise more" that sounds great.  I bet you have made this goal before.  And, maybe even done SMART or SMARTER goals.  And you might have started the goal.  (Perhaps on January 1st?  - just guessing).  But, it is still a goal, and you still have not accomplished this yet.

So, what needs to be different?

First, you might want to see what exercise you get now.  Even if you only go about your life, you are still moving.  Movement is exercise.  So, what are you doing EACH DAY in your life that is movement?  Track it.  Notice it.  And start to notice the times you are not moving.

Sitting at the computer?  What would change if you were on a wobble seat, an exercise ball, or at a standing desk?  That would not add additional time or effort to your day, but would allow you to move more.

Washing dishes and doing household tasks?  How can you add a little movement to it?  Maybe increase intensity?  Make it a little faster - perhaps to the beat of a fast-paced song...

Each place you can add a tiny bit of movement, you have succeeded in "exercising more".

What else can you do?

You can add things you love into your life.  You can go hiking, go swimming, walk around window shopping, join a sport's team, go biking.  There is such a wide range of things possible that everyone can find SOMETHING he or she likes to do.  Enrich your life with joyful activities - and the "exercise more" becomes a side benefit you won't much even notice.

BUT REMEMBER,  for each of these things, you don't have to do them all at once.  In fact, you are more likely to succeed if you do them one teeny-tiny step at a time.  And give that teeny-tiny step TIME to become habit before you make another step.  

Too often, we give up on our goals because we have not accomplished the goal in a certain amount of time.  Instead, assuming your goal is a lifetime goal, understand it is perfectly okay to reach that goal in minute increments over time.  Each teeny-tiny step is a movement closer to your goal.  

And, it is so much more possible to make a teeny-tiny change...  And then in a while, make another teeny-tiny change...  Than it is to accomplish a goal that feels so overwhelming you are paralyzed.

Sunday, December 29, 2013

A quick update :)

Well, it has been a while since I last blogged.  My life changed significantly and I had to take time to adjust to the changes.

I graduated from Capella in October.  I now have my Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling degree.  I got a job at EHS Support Services providing mental health support services to clients in Giles, Christiansburg, Radford, and areas in between.  Currently, I have 7 clients.  I really enjoy what I do and the people (both clients and coworkers) with whom I work.  I find my clients to be challenging, changeable, and delightful.  My coworkers are supportive and professional.  It is nice not to have to do politicking when I am at the office.

The transition from student to employed person required more adjustment than I had ever imagined.  I am working a 40-55 hour work week.  I was trying to take a Capella class also in order to obtain a certificate in Addiction Counseling.  However, I simply could not find balance between work and school and life.  So, I dropped the class.  Just recently I decided to drop the certificate program entirely.

Brian and I moved.  We now have a lovely little place.  However, the difference between communal living and independent living was unlike my expectations.  Brian and I have a huge backyard (a bit over 2 acres) in which the dogs love to run and play.  It is peaceful here with gorgeous sunsets.

We have Chai Chi (a rescue pup).  Chai is probably about 7 months old and is probably some sort of whippet mix.  Being young, Chai has more teeth than brains.  He loves to chew - so on days Brian and I are out of the house for long periods, Chai and Inky go to my parents' house for pet-sitting.

Brian had a sleep study done.  He was diagnosed with circadian rhythm disorder and restless legs syndrome.  While he does not stop breathing enough to meet criteria for sleep apnea (have to stop 5 times per hour), he does stop breathing (10 times in 6 hours).  We have a follow up appointment to see what that means.  Until then, he was prescribed Ambien for the sleep issues.  Since starting that, his sleep is normalizing a bit.

Brian has been struggling with his mood disorder (officially mood disorder NOS, I think he has bipolar I disorder with rapid cycling).  He had a moment of catharsis and epiphany.  Those changes plus the medication has resulted in his moods stabilizing for the first time in 7 years... a HUGE RELIEF for us all.

Working has me out and about in the community.  Exposure to allergens is common.  So, I am working on ways to minimize my exposure.  Fortunately, I am not reacting as badly to each exposure, but by the end of the day I am definitely having some allergic reactions.  So, I am taking benedryl each day and minimizing what I can.  This is letting me work... and I am hoping the trend continues.

I am still creating recipes and doing beadwork.  And, as I find balance with my new life structure, I am starting to return to the things most important to me - friends, blogging, reading, learning.  Life is good!

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Blessings and Challenges

Chaotic week -

Son had strep, missed going down to mission trip on Sunday, so went to doctor monday and got abx,
Sunday son had a mood episode that was pretty bad, got in touch with the docs and he started on Zyprexa monday morning, which really, really helped.

my dad took him down to NC (7 hour round trip drive) on Tuesday,

Tuesday I stayed home to help Mom with the kids she was watching cause she needed help and dad was taking my son down to the mission trip,

Wednesday had a full day cause I moved Tuesday clients into Wednesday,
After internship had online supervision, so the day went from 7 AM to 8:30 PM

Thursday had an easy day cause 4 clients out of 6 cancelled,
but Thursday afternoon when coming home early from internship, got message from son saying he needed to come home - was having mood and asthma problems,
So, I went down to NC with dad (he drove) - 7 hour round trip. By hour 2 had an allergy reaction migraine to the car exhaust fumes. By end of trip had severe migraine and was having breathing trouble. Came to the realization I am capped at 2 hour trips if the interstate is involved. Allergies to car exhaust fumes (prob the corn allergies) create serious problems.
Got home at 11:00. In bed by 12:30.
Homework which was due on Thursday obviously did not get done.

Friday had a long day. saw 8 clients cause one cancelled (squeezed the Tuesday people into Friday also).
Came home at 5:00. air conditioner out. So, fans and open windows (triggering a bit more asthma)
Laid down at 8:00 and was asleep.
11:00 Son comes wakes me up, once more in severe depression.
We talk about it, he takes his Zyprexa (which I REALLY think needs to be adjusted up). Finally he falls asleep. I was watching Mimic.

Dog cannot decide who to sleep beside, so he lays over my son and then starts licking me.
I am pretty sure he was eating something dead yesterday cause he REALLY needs his teeth brushed.

Still horribly hot. So I get up at 2:00 AM and turn on the ceiling fan in the hall. Air out the rooms a bit. Do a nebulizer treatment.

Doze until 11:00 AM. Hands are swollen and numb/pins & needles from not having my full bed to arrange my body while sleeping. Other joints showing signs of swelling and have pain. From allergen exposure (car trip), my skin is feels like sun-burnt and is itchy all over.

Son's throat is worse and he had to do a nebulizer treatment during the night. Will have to take him to the doctor on Monday.

Asked dad to loan me the money today to get another AC. Will have funds to pay for it in about 10 days - but cannot breathe very well in the hot room. He is going out to get an AC for me and to put it in - should be good in a couple hours.

So - chaotic week. I am sore physically, tired physically, emotionally coming to the end of my rope, and have a migraine now that is mid-level (and going to last another 24-48 hours)...

BUT - BLESSINGS:
My son is on medication that is helping (the first one in over a decade!!)
My son was willing to let me help him through his depressive episodes..
My family was able to help with all the chaos this week and everyone got or is getting what they had to have.
I have family who can help me afford what I have to have... and is willing to do so and to let me pay them back when I can.
And - my dog is going to get a bath and teeth brushed today if I do NOTHING else!

Struggles:
I am really struggling with knowing that I am limited in how far I can travel. I have LOVED taking road trips. But, it is becoming very obvious that I can only go so far before I develop an allergy migraine (and pushing that goes to one that is blinding) and have asthmatic reactions to all the fumes. This is really bothering me and is a struggle for me to accept.


Further Thoughts:
But, you know things really do work out. Those clients who cancelled on Thursday - let me go after my son at 3:30 PM instead of having to leave after 6:00.

The client who cancelled on Friday let me take care of another client who was in crisis.

The family member who works in mental health knew about Zyprexa, which may be my son's "wonder drug".

The AC did not die (it has been on its last legs for this whole summer so far) until right before I had the funds to replace it, so I felt comfortable asking for the loan from my dad to replace it.

All told, it could have been much worse, and it was not even all bad.  There are blessings even in the midst of trial and challenge.

My hope is that I have the courage to look for the blessings no matter how intense the challenges.