Taking my MoJo Back: How I'm hitting the reset button on 2016

Have you ever found it necessary to hit the reset button on your life? Well I’m in the midst of doing just that; I’m working to get back to at least 95%, let me explain. If you’ve been following the blog you already know my New Year started with a bit of a rough patch. After a serious auto accident that left me with an injured rotator cuff and broken wrist, we were hit with the usual swarm of insurance adjusters, accident chasing attorneys and extreme muscle soreness. The first few days I found myself primarily bed ridden, I thought the pain on my left side was just soreness from the accident. When I could barely lift a plate by the end of the second day I sought medical treatment and learned the severity of my injuries. In the midst of this whirlwind our long planned birthday vacation was only a few days away. Since I failed to purchase travel insurance, which I rarely do on our trips within the United States, I also spent a good deal of time trying to reschedule our flight due to the Blizzard of 2016 shutting down Washington D.C. where our layover was scheduled.

Taking my mojo back one day at a time!

After arriving home from vacation to the same madness we’d left behind, a full blow internal audit at work and a full schedule of events it didn’t take long for me to begin feeling resentful of having to do things that should've been fun. In the recent past I’d reach for weights and really pump the iron when I’m overwhelmed but that wasn’t an option. Due to my injuries weights were only permitted on my lower body, so I began focusing on other types of exercise. During my first Zumba class I realized that my left arm and shoulder couldn’t maintain the intensity and it quickly became uncomfortable for me to keep up. I've found myself heading to the stationary cardio equipment more often than not and slowly becoming my worse fear – a cardio queen! In addition, simple task like grocery shopping, lifting files at work or transporting my purse, lunch bag and lap top case into the office were causing me pain. I'd wake up each morning to a stiff, aching shoulder that seemed glued to my side and painful to move. If all that wasn’t enough typing is an awkward undertaking between the unbending keyboard and my cast making my passion to write also go down the drain.

It seemed as if all my outlets such as writing and exercise were uncomfortable and I felt as if I my momentum was fading fast. None of these problems are insurmountable. I’m healthy and able but I’m women enough to admit I’m in a funk. I’ve never been limited in my mobility in my life and it really, majorly sucks! So if you managed to get past my whining and all of the reasons I’m currently not in a happy place then you’ve landed smack in the middle of my plan to get my groove back. Over the past two weeks I put the brakes on anything that wasn’t absolutely necessary which narrows my list to: work, eating, showering and some degree of exercise. Anything that I deemed unnecessary or overly taxing were wiped off my list. I realized I needed to just catch up on life, let me break that down for you. After the accident we left immediately for vacation and returned to all sorts of invites and obligations. I needed time to just organize, determine the true extent of my shoulder injury, unpack my life and get back in the drivers seat. Here are the steps I’m taking to get my life back on track:

 1.  I admitted to my husband that I was feeling down. That’s a big step for this stubborn, independent gal and in my opinion women in general. My energy level was low, I hadn’t really cooked in weeks and it’s fair to say I needed a bit of encouragement. After admitting to him that I just wasn’t feeling myself he said “well come on, let’s do some Zumba on the Xbox”. That not only got me off the couch, it felt so good to move and laugh at him NOT really doing Zumba but giving me the boost I needed.  Also he took over in some areas that didn't need my involvement just to take some weight off my shoulders which was exactly what I needed.
 

Affirmation courtesy of thoughtsfornow.com

2. Two weeks ago my friends and I got together to create our vision boards for 2016, I’ll spill the deets on that in a future blog post. I absentmindedly placed my vision board in a seldom used room in our home. Unlike my 2015 board I didn’t have my goals placed in an area where I’d benefit from seeing them daily. Having realized the importance of keeping my vision for my life in front of me I not only moved my board to a room I spent time in daily but I also saved a picture of it to my computer so I could view it daily at work. Keeping my goals in direct eyesight is a surefire way to get my mental state whipped back into shape. In addition to spending time focusing on my goals via my vision board I also began listening to positive affirmations daily. YouTube has an awesome collection of videos and recordings with powerful affirmations. I listen to them during my morning commute, while I’m at the office and also during a recent spa treatment. The Fit, Flexible and Endurance affirmation by Jason Stephenson is one of my favorite healthy lifestyle recordings. I also enjoy the Abundance affirmations by Growing Forever. I’m a firm believer in the power of the universe and manifesting your desires begins with the right mindset. For me one way to get back on track is to begin by making up my mind that I'm going to do it and affirmations strengthen that resolve. Just as talking myself through workouts or praising God for the strength to keep pushing there is something to be said for having faith and keeping your thoughts powerful, try it!

 3. I treated myself to a mani/pedi at a little gem that I discovered near my home. Not only is the treatment relaxing but I love the quiet, good natured energy of the owner and his wife. Now this little treatment may not sound like much but I’ve realized how low self care has been on my totem pole. Of course I work out and eat well but I rarely partake in any guilt free me time. There’s something about just sitting still and letting someone take care of you that feels incredible. I’ve made a vow to take care of myself as if my life depends on it! I’ll do this by adding a few drops of lavender in my bath water and sinking in or sitting in the peaceful parlor of my home and enjoying a warm cup of bamboo tea and taking a trip to the spa at least once a month. As women, mothers and wives we often are so busy checking things off the list that we rarely treat ourselves to something as simple as some alone time. I was talking to a friend recently who was clearly under the weather, despite the fact that she had a perfectly healthy able bodied husband at home she said she “just couldn’t” go home and go straight to bed in order to get the rest she clearly needed. I challenge my sisters to rebel against this mindset, not only do we do ourselves a disservice but we often don’t give our partners the load they are perfectly capable of carrying! As I type I’m looking down at a set of well manicured magenta digits, they make me feel good, and I’m worth it. Take care of yourself, find your balance and don’t compromise, take time out to do what makes you feel good.



Good eating and meal prep

4. Let’s face it, you are what you eat. In the weeks since we returned from vacay we have pretty much been eating on the run. This past Sunday I took the time to prep my meals and  my belly already feels better. For breakfast I made an apple banana oatmeal bake large enough for me and Allan to both enjoy. For lunch I baked shrimp and white fish in a lemon, garlic, parsley butter broth and prepared quinoa and a mix of broccoli and cauliflower. I realize that my motivation to move may be somewhat down but eating well will not only keep me on track but also decrease my chances of making an unhealthy choice. When I eat food on the go it not only makes me feel bloated and tired but it rarely gives me the satisfaction I receive from sitting down to a home cooked meal.



5. Fake it until you make it! I began smiling every morning upon waking, for no other reason but than being alive and thankful. I practiced smiling as I walked into the office and as I thought about it throughout my day and the simple act of smiling made me feel better! It's as if the muscles that I utilize to smile set off a chemical reaction, it's a great feeling! Finally I began focusing on my posture and really walking up proud and straight, shoulders back! Just because I felt down didn't mean I had to slump around reflecting that energy on the outside.

I’ve chosen to focus on a few positive steps to reset my failing motivation. My first step was admitting that I was in a slump . Secondly, I focused on my goals for 2016 and beyond by meditating on my vision board and listening to daily affirmations. As if the universe was confirming my path I listened to Shonda Rhimes on GMA last week speak on how “taking time out to play” got her creative engine humming again. Like Shonda I plan to do just that by intentionally practicing self care in various forms on a regular basis. Also, eating well gives me a sense of power by controlling the things I put into my body. Good food fuels my internal engine and ensures I avoid the mid day slump that comes from eating junk food. Finally, even though I felt out of sorts I chose to put on a happy face and gave myself the "chin up buttercup" before heading out the door. Well, I'm happy to report that things are changing for the better and I didn't have to force the transition.  If your New Years resolutions aren't panning out like you thought they would I challenge you to take these steps to reset your state of mind and get back in the race with me!

What do you do when you need to spark your motivation?