Tags
30 day challenge, blogging, challenge yourself, exercise, fitness, goals, happiness, happy corner, intentions, occupational therapy, parenting, sensory processing disorder
You may have noticed that the posts here have been a bit more regular and frequent of late, and though I’d like to tell you that’s a result of me getting my act together for once, I’d be lying. In truth, my activity here results from a 30 Day Challenge I created and committed to 9 days ago.
I’ve been stuck in a rut for quite some time now, never really moving forward with health, fitness, family, creative, homemaking, or professional goals, barely holding the line. If I examine the years, I think having Boy #2 threw things off for me. I had a wonderful husband, a growing career, a brilliant beautiful preschooler, and then brought home a darling, sweet baby. For several months, I did little besides snuggle and stare at that baby and his big brother. And then, several months in, when many women start to return to reality a bit, it became clear that this darling sweet baby was different. Different from his brother, different from anything we expected. He was much more demanding and time consuming than what we’d experienced before, and as he grew this neediness became more rather than less. Next thing I knew, I had a toddler, and then a preschooler, who was out-of-control, exhausting, hurtful, and wild. Nothing we did worked, and though I can only speak for myself, I think we were all at wit’s end. I hadn’t slept more than a few hours at a time for years. I had bruises from his attacks. I began to imagine visiting him someday in juvenile detention. I’m not exaggerating; I couldn’t imagine any other possible outcome.
In the midst of this, and mothering my big boy as best I could in the off-moments, and trying to scrape together a living, where was I going to come up with the time, head space, or emotional wherewithal to do anything else?
I’ll save you all the gory details, but eventually we hit rock bottom and got help–in the form of a diagnosis of Sensory Processing Disorder and occupational therapist who is part angel, part shaman, part parenting coach, and now, 15 months out from that ugly low, life is starting to look a little rosier.
I don’t generally set New Year’s Resolutions, but this New Year seemed the right time to start putting into play all the hopes, dreams, and interests in my heart, so I set that intention: Start making my life the life I want to live.
Last week, I felt a bit unsettled, as though I was running around in circles with one foot nailed to the floor. In a stroke of genius, I sat down and drafted this quick and dirty challenge (which hangs next to my “There is Hope” postcard, because that’s a reminder we all need). This is Day 9. I am loving it.
Some positive results I’ve seen so far:
–5 pounds lost
–over an inch lost in measurements
–more joy in every part of my life (seriously, one day last week I was happy about holding the not-quite-thawed turkey in cold running water)
–marked decrease in anxiety
–excitement about what I “get” to do the next day
–energy
–increased productivity
–a cleaner, tidier home
Care to Challenge yourself? Join in and make the next 21 days shine! Or, create your own challenge. Keep me posted in the comments!