Don't only focus on the fun stuff (like I do) - Mind Body Paddle

Don’t only focus on the fun stuff (like I do)

Don’t only focus on the fun stuff (like I do)

My knee is injured, I have my period (in perimenopause so it feels moodier) and I’m stuck in a car driving across country for 4 days. Sound fun?!

I get that these are ‘first world problems,’ especially when I consider that it was my choice to move to western Canada for the winter. If you’re going to move across the country, it requires getting there, and getting back. 🙂

If you’re like me, you like to focus on the awesome aspects of your ideas, goals and projects. That’s important because the fun stuff is what motivates you.

I don’t think too much about the other stuff, in fact, I’m learning that I prefer to ignore it, until I’m in it. And then I suffer.

The roller coaster of emotions – mostly frustration, stress and resistance is no fun for me or the folks around me.

In addition to the emotional roller coaster, my tendency to ignore the tedious, but necessary stuff, makes me less resilient in the face of what’s happening.

As the saying goes, when you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail. In this case, the failure is a lack of nervous system and emotional regulation that creates unnecessary stress and suffering.

It’s like when you focus on the fun of kayaking without preparing yourself for the reality of flipping over. I see it all of the time – students who don’t want to practice their roll because they’re nervous about going upside down. If you never practice your roll then of course flipping over is going to be scarier and more exhausting than it needs to be.

I’m challenging myself to think through and prepare for both the tedious stuff and the fun stuff.

How are you challenging yourself to better prepare for, and embrace the tedious today?

Email me and let me know!

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