A bipolar, body-positive bread enthusiast with a fucked-up ankle and a history of disordered eating chronicles health, weight-loss, and gardening. No diets allowed.
Life is hard.
Yesterday I held my pee so long that when I finally stood up from my chair I totally wet my pants. Not like ALL the way wet, but any pee in your pants is really enough pee in your pants.
I also forgot to drink water until 1:30. I took my meds two hours late. I sat at my desk so long that my shoulders are now in my ears. Possibly permanently.
My to-do list yesterday included the following (this isn’t exhaustive because some stuff is Super Confidential):
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write #RavsRecs
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schedule
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write article for 1/16 and 1/20
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return 71 emails
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reviews outstanding pitches x 11
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assign to Erin/Jess/Jenni
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2017 contract and W-9
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compile writer pay period totals (X60)
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draft and send invoice reminder
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rav’s readers
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call Directv
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sign Max up for T-ball
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follow up with Lia re: Rav’s Recs categories
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f/u with Jenni re Jessamyn
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email Kristyn re book proposal
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record podcast?
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yoga vids ---> article
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congratulations you emptied your inbox. Now return 18 more emails
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wash/change bedding
I am proud to say I accomplished at least some of that. The things I didn’t accomplish were moved to today, and if I can’t get them done today, they will move to tomorrow.
But in all of this, I did zero things for myself, toward my health or well-being, and I don’t even feel like accomplished much because so much of this shit got moved to the next day and the next. And so on. And that’s just because I had to quit working at 5. Kids have to eat and stuff.
To-do lists are necessary for most of us, because Responsibilities, but also fricking daunting. I usually do a rough of mine the day before, and by the morning I have to add five more things.
And I’ve set myself up to fail. A. I won’t complete enough to feel like I’ve completed enough (probably ever). B. I won’t have done shit for myself.
So instead of starting the day in a deficit, let’s try something new. Put yourself at the top of your to-do. And give yourself totally attainable goals. Here are some of mine.
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drink liquid
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bonus for water in excess of 48 ounces
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bathe
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sleep
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get out of bed
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eat food
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triple credit if you make the bed
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quadruple credit if you've washed your sheets in the last 2 weeks
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eat food
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take your meds
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bonus for on time
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eat food a third time
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brush teeth
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walk around for 15-30 minutes
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bonus points for flossing
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stretch or do yoga
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go to bed
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bonus if you set yourself up for 7+ hours
Then you can start adding things that you have to accomplish because people need food and you need money to buy it (or just because people need food and you’re the only person available to make it for them). And other things that are stupid but still have to be done, like “sweep” and “do dishes.” Ugh. Fucking adulthood.
Print these babies out and pin them to your shirt. You adulted your best.
All of this incredible artwork is by Ravishly's very own staff artist, Mariah Aro Sharp.
