Self-Care and Goals

This week was terrible. I say this on a Friday. It is days before my next planned post. You deserve an update. I haven’t met my 2020 goals.

There I said it. I haven’t written 500 words a day. I haven’t even written each day. I think we have a tendency to expect ourselves to do it all or do nothing. I know that has been something I’ve struggled with for years.

So no, I have not written every day. Over the last nine days, I have missed five days of writing. Part of me tried to write. I would sit at my computer or pull out my notebook, but nothing came. Nothing was there because I was tired. I think my body was fighting something. I was exhausted. I made the decision to rest. I wrote when I could.

And to tell you the truth, I feel guilty, but I had to be honest with myself. My body and my mind needed that rest. I wasn’t sick in a traditional sense. I did not have a fever or chills or congestion. I was beat.

I didn’t want to do anything. I did what I had to do which included minimal cooking, laundry, and taking care of the 5-year-old. I didn’t read. Or write or listen to music. I did not have the energy to listen to a podcast. I tried, but I couldn’t pay attention. I watched shows I’d already seen several times because I didn’t have to pay attention.

Thursday, I woke up and felt better. I had energy. I could focus. My exhaustion gave way to a normal level of fatigue, the kind born from not sleeping enough. It was a normal Thursday. And today was amazing. I’ve written over 1,000 words.

Sometimes we need a level of self-care that takes us away from our plans, but that doesn’t mean it has to derail us for the long term.

What this all boils down to is that we may not always meet our daily goals, but that doesn’t mean we won’t meet our larger ones. When you fall behind, just pick up where you dropped off. Don’t kick yourself. Sometimes we need a level of self-care that takes us away from our plans, but that doesn’t mean it has to derail us for the long term.

If you are feeling down about tripping up so soon into the new year or just whenever, go look at yourself in the mirror and forgive that person. Write down those goals again, adjust them if need be, and get back to work. I believe in you. Go ahead and believe in yourself.

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