It’s the first blog of the month again, and you know what that means. The year’s winding down, and we’re on Chapter Ten of my book, Finding Your Inner Moose, called “Getting Rid of Frogs and Toads.” No, it’s not about amphibians. This chapter’s about self care. Hey, it’s a self help book. You gotta have a chapter on self care, right?
I don’t know about you, but my life tends to be plumb-chucka-full of what Charlie and me call the gottas, gotta do this, gotta do that. So much so, it’s real easy to get overwhelmed. And when I get on one of these benders, seems like every time I open my mouth to say something to Charlie, only frogs and toads come out. Poor guy! Nothin’ but frogs and toads. I say it’s best to head those slimy things off at the pass by looking out for number one.
This is one of my favorite chapters in the book, where I talk about taking time to recharge and reenergize. It isn’t all that complicated. You don’t have to go on a retreat or nothin’. Heck, could be as simple as knittin,’ or reading a trashy novel while you’re takin’ a hot bath, or eating your favorite food with gusto and without guilt, preferably with a friend or two (The Women Who Run With the Moose probably do this last one more often than we should, but hey, you gotta walk on the wild side every now and then). Napping is a great way to recharge, too. Love it, and I take one every chance I get. You can count on it.
One of the best ways I know to nourish my inner spirit is to give back. Now, you don’t have to give away half your savings to some charity, but you could buy some Girl Scout cookies or put a dollar in the Salvation Army bucket. Even better, you can volunteer on a weekly basis or for a special event, give blood, or bake some brownies and take ’em down to the Senior Center. Sometimes the littlest thing can make a big difference. If you’re in a funk, putting the focus on someone else helps you get over it. Works every time.
Now a big part of self care is havin’ a sense of personal integrity. There’s nothing that can make you feel yucky inside like doing something you know is not right, or not following through on a promise, or doing something you’re not proud of. I can’t emphasize this enough. Treating yourself with integrity means doin’ the right thing, whether someone’s watching or not. ‘Cause your heart always knows.
Lately, one of the ways I’ve been recharging myself is taking a “list free day.” See, I’m a big list maker. I always have a list going of what I need to do around the house, pick up at the store, errands I gotta run, calls to make. I have a daily list and a weekly list, a grocery lists and a wish list. And as if that weren’t enough, I have my “Honey-Do List” you know, if case Charlie needs a little direction. It doesn’t stop there. On the weekend, I’m focused and on task, doing things and ticking ‘em off my list. And (this is really sad), if I do something that’s not on the list, I write it down, then cross it off. Kind of excessive, I know.
So every once in awhile, I take a list-free day. I aim for once a week, though that doesn’t always happen. Sunday’s a good day for it. I do things as they come, with no agenda, asking myself throughout the day, “Do I really want to do this? Or is this just another gotta?” On a list-free day, there’s always time for a nap, and come meal time, take out is the preferred option. I mean, I love to cook, but it can be a grind. Takin’ a list-free day is incredibly liberating. ‘Course, you have to be a list maker to fully appreciate it. But whether you are or not, a chore free day sounds good, doesn’t it?
What I’ve learned the hard way is that if I don’t take time to recharge and reenergize myself, I have nothing left to give Charlie or anyone else. Livin’ the good life means making myself a priority every once in a while, list-free. I mean, is once a week too much to ask? Try givin’ it a shot.
That’s it for now. Catch you on the flip side!
IDA’s PODCAST: Time to Recharge
Performances and Book Events: Fall
October 8: A Visit With Ida, Fall Senior Luncheon for First Congregational Church of Manchester, 12:00pm, Manchester, NH
October 9: Book Reading, Raymond Public Library, 6:00pm, Raymond, ME
October 10: A Visit With Ida, York County Retired Educators 50th Celebration, 1:30pm, Wells, ME
October 11: Book Reading, Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library Literary Luncheon, 12:00pm, Boothbay Harbor, ME
November 1: I Married an Alien!, Merrimack College, Rogers Center for the Arts, 7:30pm, North Andover, MA
November 6: Keynote, The Moose in Me, The Moose in You!, 7th Annual Statewide Caregivers Conference, 9:15am, Concord, NH
November 16: The Best of Ida, Ogunquit Performing Arts, 7:00pm, Ogunquit, ME
November 30: Book Signing with Rebecca Rule, Kittery Trading Post, 11am-2pm, Kittery, ME
December 16: A Visit With Ida, Huntington Commons, 2:00pm, Kennebunk, ME
For details, please check out the schedule page on my website: http://www.idaswebsite.com/schedule