Tag Archives: self care

Nudging: Use the good body lotion

1 Reply

Backstory: It’s the expensive stuff, or the special stuff, or the stuff I received as a gift and am saving for…well, I don’t know what.

Although part of this nudge is about decluttering, I think it’s mostly about self-caring. If not with the good body lotion, maybe it’s the soothing bath bubbles or the beautifully scented candle. Or maybe it’s that fancy hand creme that’s been living at the bottom of my purse for ages. I’m going to pull out something nice and put it to use.

How will you treat yourself this week?

Nudging: No Facebook or online news for 1 week

Leave a reply

You know when you get so overloaded with things that you enter in the wrong date on something important? Yeah. So I just noticed this didn’t post as planned yesterday morning. In case you were wondering if I was a robot, or if this was a perfectly orchestrated project, now you know the truth. 🙂  Onward!

Backstory: I signed up to work with a nutritionist last year, to fine-tune what foods (vs. fads) work best for my system for losing weight and maintaining good health. I figured I’d be told to count calories, make adjustments to intake of carbs/fats/proteins, and amp up and create more variety in my exercise routines. So I was surprised to see “limit social media” on her list of recommendations. “It’s a source of stress,” she explained (Duh, I thought at the time), “and that contributes to how our bodies function,” including how we process calories and hang on to excess weight.

I’ve since talked with a number of friends who have received similar advice when seeking to develop healthier lifestyles, including one friend who was assigned “zero social media” for a three-month period while working through some challenges with a therapist.

There’s something to this, so I thought I’d try it out.

P.S. I recently was asked why I draw a new nudge every Sunday. “Why not just make yourself a big list and check things off?” Great question. The real answer is that the actual drawing of the nudge – the anticipation (“What will I be doing this week?”) and the delight (or groan) of the reveal of the week’s challenge – is fun. I get so few surprises at this point in life, and I love surprises. Plus, the ritual gives me a little burst of energy, which leads to a “Let’s do this!”

Nudged: Build “The List” with prompts

Leave a reply

Backstory: I’m gearing up for 52Nudges 2.0, which I plan to launch in September. To do this, I’m reviewing old to do lists and generating new ideas to update The List. When I’ve got a bunch, I’ll type it all up, cut it into strips, roll those strips into balls, and put them into a bowl. Then, each Sunday, I’ll pull one to tackle that week.

Last week I reviewed my Big To Do List and reviewed the musts, the shoulds, the need to dos. This week is all about what I want to do.

I might set a timer for 5 minutes and:

  • take look at course offerings at City College (What do I want to learn?)
  • go online and read up about faraway cities I want to visit some day (Can I get a book about its history? Is there a local cultural center that has programs? Can I get a CD of folk music or a cookbook of cuisine from the library to experience it without the big expense of travel?)
  • list small things I can do for myself (We’re talking self-care: take a hot bath, walk a labyrinth, warm my PJs in the dryer before bed)
  • remember specific activities I loved doing as a kid (Dancing? Reading? Playing games with my friends? What do I want to do again?)

The goal is to find some FUN things to add to the list. And for this week, it’s about brainstorming. I want to let my imagination run wild, then in a couple of weeks I can edit the list for things that really speak to me and for things that fit the 52Nudges parameters (must be able to be completed in a week, not expensive, nudge me out of my comfort zone).

Hope you’ll share some of the items that come up for you.

What Happened: I started by setting my timer for just 3 minutes and jotting down anything I could think of that I loved doing as a kid: baking, playing dress-up, reading Nancy Drew books (and imaging I was Nancy), blowing bubbles, going to the beach, learning new things to earn badges in Girl Scouts, riding horses, talking on the phone with friends and planning what we were going to wear to school the next day. Ha! That last one came out of nowhere and cracked me up. When was the last time I had a phone conversation like that? Shoot, when was the last time I simply enjoyed a looooong phone conversation about everything (or nothing) with a good friend? That’s so going on The List.

I reset the timer and thought about things I could do for myself that fall into the Self Care category: get some really nice body lotion and actually use it, get a real scrub-off-all-the-calluses pedicure, have one-on-one time with each of my siblings, wear the “nice” PJs, create a plan for spiffing up the living room, set aside a night to enjoy a fire in the fireplace. Lots of opportunity here.

Finally, without the timer, I opened a new page and titled it “3 Things I’m Curious About.” And I got only two. Two? Two! What the heck?! Other than San Francisco History and Cake/Cookie Decorating, I couldn’t think of a single class or book or podcast I want to watch. So that’s something I want to explore further.

Ah-Hahs: With all the responsibilities in life, I rarely take time to think about what gives me pleasure, feeds my soul, makes me feel most at peace with myself. And then I rarely take time to do any of these things. This is so much about what 52Nudges means for me. It’s figuring these things out and then doing them. So I’m going to continue brainstorming items for The List, and I’ll share them with you for inspiration. Hope you’ll do the same.

 

P.S. If you haven’t already, sign up to get 52Nudges posts in your email. It’s FREE! Let’s inspire and support each other on this fun adventure. 

 

Nudging & Nudged: Get 8 hrs. of sleep (x5)

Leave a reply

Backstory: I Nudged myself to get more sleep a while ago, and it’s something I’d like to do more regularly. So back it went into the bowl for another go ’round.

What Happened: This is the first-ever “Nudging & Nudged” incident. Up till today, I have pulled a new Nudge on Sunday and worked on it through the week. But with this one, this week, I know I will achieve it.

This isn’t because I’m being remarkably disciplined or anything that amazing. It’s simply that I’m sick. With bronchitis. And I’ve been sleeping something like 12 hours a day, so getting in 8 is no big deal.

Sure, I could have put this back in the bowl and chosen another task with which to challenge myself. But you know what, I need a break. My poor overworked body is telling me to STOP, so that’s what I’ll be doing this week.

The Ah-Hahs: I really have gotten better at listening to my body (and my heart and soul) and then acting on what it needs. This being more attuned to myself has been one of the great gifts of this whole 52Nudges experiment.

What is your body telling you it needs this week?

Are you longing for quiet time so you can hear your own thoughts? Are your feet crying out for a little pampering (just in time for Sandals Season)? Is this the week you try giving up sugar? Or is it time to book the vacation/adventure/retreat you’ve been dreaming about forever?

Do it…or don’t. Knowing that your body just needs a break is good too.

I’ll see you back here next Sunday with (I hope) a healthier body and renewed energy for the next Nudge.

Nudged: Book a Pilates class

Leave a reply

Backstory: This is really the result of a bigger Nudge. A while back I played with what forms of exercise might get me…well…moving. Do I want to get into an organized team sport, like softball or soccer? (No.) Do I want to give running another try? (My 53-year-old knees say no.) Yoga? (Ugh.)

Maybe there is something I loved doing as a child that I’d like to revisit. Jumping rope is on the list, as is bocce ball. I will continue with long walks, on my own and as excuses for catching up with friends, but the exercise that my body seemed to most respond to has always been Pilates.

I can come up with any number of excuses for why I haven’t been to a class in over a year. None of those excuses are good. So this week, I’m going to pull out my calendar, make a commitment, and just do it.

What good-for-you activity have you been putting off? If you can’t fit it in this week, at least get it inked on the calendar for soon.

What Happened: Wasted no time on this one. Got online, re-upped my account, and booked a class for next week.

Then I skipped ahead to the next week and booked two more.

Gulp. 🙂

The Ah-Hahs: I won’t be able to report back this week on how the class went , but I can confirm that this Nudge has been completed and I’m nervous…no, I’m excited…about getting back on track with regular exercise that I’ve loved doing in the past.

Meanwhile, this week I’m going to practice getting up at 5:15 am so it won’t be quite so painful next week to make it out the door for a 6:00 am class. Step by step, bit by bit, squat by squat. 🙂

Nudging: Book a Pilates class

Leave a reply

Backstory: This is really the result of a bigger Nudge. A while back I played with what forms of exercise might get me…well…moving. Do I want to get into an organized team sport, like softball or soccer? (No.) Do I want to give running another try? (My 53-year-old knees say no.) Yoga? (Ugh.)

Maybe there is something I loved doing as a child that I’d like to revisit. Jumping rope is on the list, as is bocce ball. I will continue with long walks, on my own and as excuses for catching up with friends, but the exercise that my body seemed to most respond to has always been Pilates.

I can come up with any number of excuses for why I haven’t been to a class in over a year. None of those excuses are good. So this week, I’m going to pull out my calendar, make a commitment, and just do it.

What good-for-you activity have you been putting off? If you can’t fit it in this week, at least get it inked on the calendar for soon.

Nudged: Do my “do” (hair) 4x

Leave a reply

Backstory: Back in the day (high school), I would allow as much as two hours to wash, blow dry, set in hot rollers, and style my hair.

Sure, right.

That doesn’t happen very often these days, and “forcing” myself to do this will definitely be outside my comfort zone. However. Through some previous Nudges, I’ve realized that when I pull myself together, I feel better, and I carry myself better. I even included this practice as one of the things that might help me get my mojo back.

Let’s “do” this. 😉

What Happened:

Monday: Never so much as brushed my hair.

Tuesday: Threw myself together with kind of a fun and slightly messy bun. I’m no Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, but it worked.

Wednesday: I don’t have time for this sh*t! Geez! I work, I support friends and family, I keep the house standing. And somehow I’m supposed to make time to be runway ready?! I got myself to the gym and showered in the morning, then went straight to work. I had to run a couple of errands, and went out without makeup and hair that looked like it had been styled by Thor (the god who controls lightning, not my husband). I was That Woman in line at the market praying Please don’t let me run into anybody I know. Please. I’m begging. Happy to report my prayers were answered on this one. But geez. I felt like a hot mess, and I wanted to be invisible. That evening my husband had a work event, so at 4:45 I plugged in the trusty flat iron and rallied.

Thursday: Got a free pass today as Second Day Hair looked good with no special effort required. (I love my flat iron). Felt slightly better about myself when I went to the market. That afternoon, I caught up with a friend, another writer who also works from a home office. She mentioned she’s been feeling out of sorts lately, uninspired, unmotivated. So she took a cue from FlyLady (I love FlyLady) and tried dressing for work. Today, for example, instead of staying in yoga clothes all day, she put on nice slacks and an office-worthy cardigan instead of the ratty old thing we pull on when we think “Only the dog is going to see me today.” She brushed her hair, swiped on some mascara and lip gloss, and slipped into actual shoes…and had her most productive day in ages.

Friday: Got up early and gave myself a decent blowout, which made me sweaty. What a pain! Dressed for a business meeting off site—sweater, straight skirt, tights and boots—I checked myself out in the rearview mirror and thought, “Lookin’ good, Kath.” The meeting went well, and I had a productive afternoon. Toward the end of the day, I noticed I wasn’t slumping. I was sitting up straighter than usual for late on a Friday.

A Good(ish) Hair Day

 

Ah-Hah: I must confess, I’ve been in a deep, dark funk lately. There was one day last week when the only thing that got me out of bed was I needed to feed the dog. I’m not sure what this is. Maybe it’s the change in seasons. Maybe it’s the overabundance of rain (dammit) we’ve had this year. (I’m a Southern California, “69 degrees is cold”, I need my sunshine kinda gal). Maybe…I don’t know.

But I’m not throwing in the towel, and I’m returning again and again to my Mojo prompts to get through this. This doing my ’do Nudge is part of my efforts, and it was inspired in part by Elizabeth Gilbert.

In her book about living a creative life, Big Magic, she talks about how you should dress for work the way you would dress if you were going to meet your lover. Think about it. If you were dashing out, all excited and breathless, for a romantic rendezvous, you wouldn’t schlep about in yoga pants and a faded, stretched-out T-shirt. You’d dress in your very best, from the lacy underwear to your fanciest perfume. So, how are you meeting your work? Maybe it’s time to show it some respect, to demonstrate that it is your greatest passion.

I’m going to keep at this. I’m going to continue to do what I can to present myself to the world—or just to the dog—in a way that makes me feel my best. I’m going to do this for my work. Better yet, let’s do this for ourselves!

 

Nudging: Do my “do” (hair) 4x

1 Reply

Backstory: Back in the day (high school), I would allow as much as two hours to wash, blow dry, set in hot rollers, and style my hair.

Sure, right.

That doesn’t happen very often these days, and “forcing” myself to do this will definitely be outside my comfort zone. However. Through some previous Nudges, I’ve realized that when I pull myself together, I feel better, and I carry myself better. I even included this practice as one of the things that might help me get my mojo back.

Let’s “do” this. 😉

Nudged: Do something I hate (i.e., weeding)

Leave a reply

Backstory: Ugh. Remember when I/we did something that scared us? (Read that post here.) That was scary (obvs), but it also had an element of fun. Not so much this Nudge. This has a taint of must-do, take responsibility, be an adult.

Or…I need to see this as spreading my wings and taking a leap of faith out of my nest.

That seems much more exciting, doesn’t it? 🙂 Let’s do this.

What Happened: The actual slip of paper for this Nudge includes “(i.e., weeding)”, so I initially thought about weeding at least part of the backyard, but couldn’t bring myself to do it. (Seriously, I do not enjoy gardening, as we learned in this post about finding a new bookstore. When I win big in the lottery, my first outsourcing will be to hire someone to clean up my garden—and maintain it—for me.)

Instead I decided to tackle the refrigerator. This is one of those household tasks that ends up on my to do list almost every week, and almost every week gets bumped to the end of the line.

So… I pulled on the ol’ rubber gloves, grabbed the trash can, and dove in.

Two words: Bio. Hazard.

Is sticking to a new diet on your list of New Year’s Resolutions? Then I’ve got a sure-fire trick for you to achieve your goal. Just pull a few condiments out of your fridge, read the expiration dates (oh, sweet god), then try, just see if you can open the lids that have become glued to the jars by what is now unidentifiable muck.

Gag-o-rama.

But it got done. All of it. And honestly, it wasn’t all that bad. Nothing pre-dated my marriage, which made me feel a tiny bit better about things. (I say this because there was a time when I went through the spice rack and discovered some items lurking in the back that should have been added to the compost pile ages ago). And there wasn’t a lot. I was definitely shaming myself for wasted food as I tossed unused items, but I couldn’t dwell on things that at this point were way beyond saving.

Ah-Hah: So fresh start. Clean shelves. Open spaces. When I popped out to the market this afternoon, I only purchased ingredients for our next several meals, and you can trust that moving forward I’ll be conscientious about only buying what we need for now.

It’s not perfectly organized, but it’s clean and I know what’s in there. Progress!

I’d like to tell you that during the process I also experienced a personal ah-hah, one in which I chose to embrace that every day is a fresh start with open spaces for new opportunities. I didn’t.

I also could have looked at this as an opportunity to examine the things in my life that have the potential to make me “sick”, physically, emotionally. I didn’t really do that either. But somewhere in the back shelves of my subconscious, the ideas are there, and maybe I’ll find myself making healthier choices as a result.

What did you weed out of your life this week?

Nudged: Drink 3-4 liters H2O every day

1 Reply

Backstory: Drinking enough water seems such a simple thing to do, and I know it will impact my health and well-being. So why don’t I keep it up?

I don’t have an answer. I just need to do this.

What Happened: I never hit the 4-liter mark, but I hit 3 a couple of days and comfortably downed 2+ on the other days. This is not “perfect”, but it’s “better”, and I’m okay with that.

Along the way, I figured a few things out:

  • If I exercise in the morning, I quickly and effortlessly go through the first liter.
  • If I put a slice of citrus in it, it feels special.
  • If I serve water in a fancy glass or mug, I pick it up more often.
  • If I put it in a pretty pitcher, it feels like I’m treating myself. It also helps to see that full liter on my desk, to keep track of how much more I need to drink and to save me the time of having to refill in the kitchen.

  • If I made it a game, it was kind of fun. For example, when I took stretch breaks from work on the hour, I swallowed several gulps. When I watched TV, I took a couple of gulps whenever there was a commercial break. (Which is funny, because we fast-forward through most ads, but I still used those breaks as a reminder to sip.)

How do I feel? Fine. Did I notice any big changes in my health or well-being? Not yet. But I believe the long-term benefits will happen if I keep this up.

In fact, during the week I mentioned this Nudge to a friend who has a couple of decades on me. She has been concentrating on increasing her water intake recently and has noticed that several nagging health issues have, for lack of a better word, eased.

Ah-Hahs: No fireworks. No fanfare. No big ah-hah moment. This was simply a step toward better self-care, and it’s something I need to continue working on. It’s all good.