My " Should Do" List

A previous Dragonfly project 

Its morning and I have this list of things I should do, most of them are things I want to do.
I should go nordic walking, I should study, I should write, I should journal, I should do something creative, I should cut out the sugar and carb foods that I've let slip back in. I should pray, I should read that stack of massage and aroma therapy books on my desk. I should get dressed and start the day. I should go work on that mosaic dragonfly, I should finish my skeleton for massage school, I should get the bills paid, I should get breakfast made. There are lots of other things I could add to this list.

What I'm not going to do is stress out about all of these things I should do. I'm not going to waste time worrying about how I will get them all done. I'm not going to feel guilty about the stuff I have not gotten done yet. Worry, stress and guilt cloud our thinking. They cause us to accomplish nothing because we become paralyzed. So just decide to skip that stuff. Pick something and do that. When its done pick the next thing to do.

I have chosen from the list above I should write. Its what I feel inspired to do from the list above.
Writing and sharing my journey is an accountability motivator for me. I know there are people that look forward to reading the things I research and share. Writing helps me organize my thoughts. I have always thought of myself as more of an introvert, which does not mean I don't like people. I love being with people and I am not shy or a reclusive loner.  What it does mean is that I need alone time to process and recharge. I have often considered myself a professional extrovert. I am good with people and a natural leader I just need down time too.  Come to find out there is a third option called an ambivert. Turns out I am one of those who is somewhere in between called ambivert.  For ambiverts to recharge their energy levels they need a mixture of social interaction and alone time. Too much of either wears them out. Wow, lightbulbs go on for me. I actually learn a lot while researching for these posts.  If you are wondering about yourself heres a quick test http://www.danpink.com/assessment .

It is easy to look at my should do list and get anxious about how I will get it all done. I try to remember the old saying that there is a time and a season for every purpose under heaven. I get up early in the morning before my family so I can have that quiet time that I need to be able to function. It is part of my essential self care routine. I try to think of self care in three parts. What do I do for my body. What do I do for my mind. What do I do for my soul. To be healthy we need to be working on all three. Some things work on more than one area at a time. In your own self care plan consider if you are more of an introvert, ambivert or an extrovert because how you recharge is different for each. Make sure in your self care plan you are allowing time for those things that recharge, strengthen and heal you.

I've now crossed one thing off my Should Do list and will move on to one of the other things I've listed. You might also consider that there are some barriers to self care that you might be facing. Things like lack of support, lack of time, lack of motivation, lack of money, belief that self care is selfish. I suppose thats another post brewing. They are factors that we have to overcome in our journey to wellness. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this post.

My Self Care Wellness Activity
Take the assessment and find out if you are more of an extrovert, introvert or ambivert. Adjust your self care activities to things that will help you best recharge and heal. http://www.danpink.com/assessment .