No One's Coming

Yesterday's assignment was not to complain for 24 hours.  It was not as easy as I thought it would be.  I thought I didn't complain much to start with, but I did catch myself complaining about small things and so I used the 5-second rule to change the direction of my thoughts.

I worked a 16-hour shift yesterday.  Came into work for my 8-hour shift at 1:30p and then a 3rd shift dispatcher called in sick, so I was forced to stay for her 8-hour shift too.  I got off work at 5:30a this morning, went straight home and straight to bed.  I set an alarm for 12:30p hoping for 6-1/2 hours of sleep.  I woke up, checked the time and it was 12:02p.  My first thought was "I have 28 mins more to sleep, I don't want to get up!"  But then I thought, "no, I'm awake, get up...5, 4, 3, 2, 1...get up!" And I did.  I know that if I had gone back to sleep, when the alarm went off I would have been tired and grumpy.  Instead, I got up when I woke up naturally, cleaned a little, did cookies a little, then got ready for work.

I started my day off actively, instead of going back to sleep and then being forced into action by my alarm.  I started my day, my day didn't start me.  And...I have no complaints about it.  I feel good.  Assignment one...check!

Today's lesson is about parenting yourself.  No one is going to come and get you to do the things you don't want to do, like get off Facebook and market your business.  Or get off Candy Crush and walk the dog.  You're the adult, you have to be your own parent.  Just like as a parent it is your job to make your kids do their homework, or chores, or even bathe.

This concept opened my eyes.  Don't give my brain an opportunity to talk me out of doing what is needed.  As soon as I have a thought about something that needs to be completed, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1...go.  Just like a parent would do, don't take any back talk from your brain...get in motion and start doing.

In life we are going to be faced with lots of things we just don't want to do.  Get up and go to the gym.  Get up and go to work.  Eat healthy.  Go grocery shopping.  Go out with friends when we'd rather stay home and binge watch Netflix.  Tend to our relationships.  Tend to our self care.  No one is going to come and make sure we do those things.  We are adults, it is our responsibility now to take over our own parenting.   Mind blowing concept.