INTENSE 365 MONTH 8: WIN (everyday)!
Last month’s 3 min gratitude was like taking a long slow sip of water in the middle of a desert hike. It put me in the moment and quenched my thirst for acceptance.
It was refreshing, and it allowed me to put the moment in perspective.
I have a ton to be grateful for (and believe me, I know it), and it was a great and much-needed launchpad to my day.
This new morning ritual kept at bay what I usually started my day with,
PANIC.
Low grade but highly persistent, almost debilitating panic of all that I needed to get done in a day.
Scene (I wake up early)
Me: Should I work out before I change my mind?
Also, Me: Wait, no, I need to make the coffee first.
Me again: Oh, ok, maybe I should journal while I wait?
Second Me yelling at 3rd me: Wait! I need coffee to think before I can write.
Who am I even anymore: Ok, when I’m done with this workout, should I run out to merchandise the store?
Are You There God? It’s me, Margaret: Oh, wait, I’m supposed to meet my Grandfather today!
I give up: Snap, maybe I should just work out at home to save time, but ugh, the downstairs neighbors hit the ceiling if I do anything beyond a sit up.
Maybe I should…
“Let me point out at this point I haven’t even had my coffee yet.”
If you’ve ever had an office job, I’m sure you can relate.
While I cannot confirm if the above is typical or if I am having an anxious covid-times response, the reality is I’m not getting ahead much.
Things are getting done and fires are extinguished, but I do not FEEL like I’m winning…why?
‘Cause I didn’t necessarily work towards something grand I wanted, I just got things off my (unprioritized) list.
So here I am running in circles, stressing myself out daily, and feeling like a loser.
FUN.
So what about it then? It’s not like I don’t know how to get out of this nasty cycle; I did create Intense 365, after all. This year’s, Intense 365 has been focused till now on self-care and not goal completion, which was fine, but I’m realizing I’m ready to take on more.
Great!
So, how to feel like a winner again?
Well, I’m glad you asked. You set some goals.
(Yuck, more goals)
I know, hear me out.
While it is true, I am getting a lot done, it’s not the things that matter the most to me.
I have been cleaning my kitchen & bathroom A LOT, and while they are pristine, I doubt in 5-10 years it will be where I draw my pride from
It is necessary to assign a VALUE to your tasks and then work on VALUE MANAGEMENT.
Now how do we win?
And what about these goals?
Simple.
Think, or (better yet) write down two things that you VALUE now.
Things that when they are done, you will feel either proud or relieved.
Maybe you want a new job?
Perhaps you want to lose 20lbs?
Your closet is a disaster and a time suck that is driving you insane, fine cool.
Next, list all the related tasks that will get you closer to completion. It’s ok if you don’t know all the steps, yet just getting closer is the goal.
Finally, use this list (or further break down) to pick 2 things daily to complete to
WIN YOUR DAY!
It may sound like a lot, but the key is both in the priority and the breakdown.
Example:
So 3 things that are top of mind are losing 20lbs, finding a new job, and cleaning your closet.
All are important to you, but you do have a job currently, and your health is giving you a lot of worries, and one way to quell that is to lose some weight.
Your closet is also a disaster every time you open it, and you are sick of digging through it.
Thus though important, the job thing can wait, you’re stable, and you don’t HATE your job, so you can let go of that nagging at you.
Focusing instead on just weight loss and a clean closet, here are what a couple of wining days can look like.
Let’s just say you repeat the above for the next 4 days.
In week one, you would have at least ate veggies twice that week got rid of 10 items out of your closet.
Best part is you can even make these tasks smaller, win your day, AND be on your way towards something you really care about.
Now yes, it’s true you aren’t working on getting a new job, but you already determined FOR NOW it is not the most important.
Likely, when you get to the point where it is more important, your closet will be done, and perhaps you will have already lost 5lbs.
Every day you win, put a Lil W in the corner of your calendar.
Nothing is going to motivate you more than starting to see your own winning streaks.
You may even want to commemorate it.
The moral of the story is:
While we can’t do it all at once, we can do some now and start feeling like a champion again.
Is this your DAY 1?
The rules are simple here; you make them.
Start today, start with a plan to win, and let this be the day in your Intense year.