April 25th wrapped up month two of my six-month challenge! And it did not go quite as well as I had hoped. There were some good things, but there was definitely some back-sliding into old mindsets and habits that I want to break. But we are shooting for progress, not perfection! Back-sliding is bound to happen every once in a while and each day represents a new opportunity to start fresh. So let’s get into my month two check-in, shall we?
Month Two Check-In: What went right
I did manage to get to the gym at least once this month, and I also hit up yoga a couple of times. We will just hit that particular check box on the list. I also managed to get out and do a couple of hikes/nature walks, which was something else I wanted to do. Other than that, this group of 30 days didn’t go so well.
But, I am proud that I recognized that I was back-sliding into my poor mindset and bad habits! And I took the steps I needed to get back on course before I felt completely defeated and gave up. Your mindset is such a tricky thing, and important when you are hoping to make some lasting changes. For example, I know that when my mind feels too cluttered, I’m just going to stop making any effort. I just feel overwhelmed with all the negative thoughts racing through my mind, and the smallest thing will bring me down even further. Whether it be someone unknowingly hurting my feelings or just those shit thoughts that creep in. I now recognize how vital journaling is to my journey.
What went wrong
Ooof! What didn’t go wrong? Hockey season wrapped up, which should have meant more free time in the evenings. But I didn’t utilize ANY of my time well. So there was that. I didn’t journal for a few weeks, which led to my thoughts getting cluttered up in my mind. Which in turn, caused me to start feeling overwhelmed. And that led to negative thinking. Of course, the negative thinking turned into all those fun feelings of self-loathing and worthlessness. I had to make a point to pull out my journal, and over the course of the day, filled several pages. Shocker-I felt immensely better! I know it’s not as simple as writing things down for everyone, but I know for me, getting those thoughts out and onto paper works wonders. I’ve spent the last couple of weekends spending as much time outside as possible. Not to mention, getting things inside the house a little more orderly as well.
What’s next
As much as I want to hop into everything physical activity-wise and pretend that will fix everything, it’s becoming apparent that I need to focus a bit more on my internal health. My energy levels are still all over the place, with fatigue being a huge obstacle. I’ve been dealing with stomach issues (yeah, not fun) as well. So my focus for the next 30 days is going to be on my diet and other well-being aspects, in addition to continuing my mindset work.
Going largely gluten-free is a work in progress at the moment. So is reducing my dairy intake. I do suffer from lactose intolerance, but I can get some cheeses. But I’ve been flirting too much with cream sauces and the like, and I need to cut that out. Also-veggies haven’t been featuring too much in my life recently and I need to fix that. So making sure I’m taking all my proper medicines and vitamins each day for the next 30 days is a high priority. So is menu and meal planning. If I don’t make the time to plan and prep things in advance, I fall right into the trap of making crappy choices.
I’m also trying out a new to me time blocking method. If I feel like it’s working out for me, then I’ll share a bit more about what I’m doing next month. All in all, though, I’m still feeling pretty good and on track! I’m looking forward to seeing if there are any changes to note over these 30 days and to continue with my challenge. That’s it for my month two check-in, now on to month three!
