Month: February 2016

Weekly Check-In

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Study, Study, Study is the name of the game for a while.

 

Traditional Volunteerism

  • 4 Hours of Crisis Text Line

 

Charitable Giving

  • Zero

 

Personal Kindnesses

  • They say most of the fun is planning your vacation… so I’ve been helping my friend with tips on planning her vacation because she’s going to a location I know a bit about. It’s a win win because it feels like I’m going on vacation and I can have a little vicarious fun in the planning.

 

Self Care

  • Lots of Yoga and Pilates this week.
  • Still trying to accept that I’m in need of a lot of self-care right now. It’s hard to stop fighting it.

 

Please share in the comments how you’re doing this week!

Accepting Self-Care

On By beinggoodeIn Self Care, ThoughtsLeave a comment

As I was putting away some laundry last night I stepped on a piece of glass (from who knows what) and the bottom of my foot started bleeding. I was stressed, annoyed, and not ready for one more thing to go wrong. I’ve been studying a lot and working a lot and a recent shin splint put a wrench in my training plans. As I cleaned up my foot it occurred to me that I have to just except that I need to take care of myself.

 

It seems strange that we would struggle against taking care of ourselves. Why would we turn down a night curled up with our favorite movie, a yoga session, a trip to a favorite restaurant with a friend, or a spa day? But the excuses seem to pile up; I should be working on something, there’s that laundry that needs to be done, I promised that family member that I’d put helping them first. And I, like most people, have to fight through a fair amount of guilt to get to self-care. I put others first or disregard fun for more important things. #TheStruggleIsReal

 

But you can’t let excuses and guilt get in the way because in the long run everyone suffers. Self-Care is an important thing. It helps you refresh and have the strength to be ready when others need you. My body wasn’t letting me ignore it any longer. I felt the need to take care of myself become more and more present even though I’d been putting it off and letting guilt put it on the backburner.

 

So I took a few deep breaths and told myself that I need to accept this self-care. I need it. I need yoga and to sit and paint my nails and maybe even a nap. Self-care is important and guilt needs to be let go of.

 

Do you struggle with accepting the need for self-care? How do you begin to accept it?

 

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Weekly Check-In

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I’ve recently set my sights on taking a big certification exam in order to help get my career going in the right direction. So that means every available moment is going to studying for it. I think it could really help tip the scales in the right direction.

Traditional Volunteerism

  • 4 Hours of Crisis Text Line

Charitable Giving

  • Zero

Personal Kindnesses

  • So this week I’m going to talk about a missed opportunity. I was kind in interactions through the week but there was one opportunity that I missed but noticed and will do better next time. My job involves a lot of customer service interactions and someone came up to my desk and gave me a lot of attitude. My response was pleasant but it was also to dig my heals in and help them as slowly as possible. Thinking the whole time “you catch more bees with honey, don’t you know that”. While I helped her I didn’t do it in the best and kindest way. Facing unkindness with unkindness is perfectly natural but not the way to go. Next time I’ll do better.

Self Care

  • I decided that to help in my study sessions I needed new supplies. I went to the office supply store and splurged on a new notebook and new colorful pens and a pack of colored pencils just for fun. I remember getting new school supplies every year and how much that new pen or blank notebook makes a difference.

Please share in the comments how you’re doing this week!

Today is Random Acts of Kindness Day!

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Happy Random Acts of Kindness Day! ‎#RandomActsofKindnessDay‬

 

I know when I hear about random acts of kindness I think of grand gestures that a step above and beyond, that take thought and work, and can even be inconvenient or difficult. It reminds people to do something they normally wouldn’t. Be kind when no one expects you to.

 

That’s why I use the term “personal kindness” in my Weekly Check-Ins, I only consider small things that I did personally to be kind. Focus on just a small choice I made to be kind when I could have been mean or neutral. I’m trying for consistent acts of kindness, or making the random, standard. Of course this is a process that I think about every week and I’m far from perfect, sometimes it’s still random. But I’m shooting for simple kindness. Everyday kindness. I don’t mind if I’m kind so often that people expect it, because I expect of myself. I would hate to just be randomly kind, I want to be consistently kind.

 

Not to say of course that Random Acts of Kindness and RAoKD is not wonderful. We should all be thinking about and acting kindly. Every kindness helps.

 

How are you going to celebrate #RandomActsofKindnessDay‬?

 

 

 

 

Weekly Check-In

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I got an influx of good news this week. Makes me feel good to see some hard work starting to pay off.

Traditional Volunteerism

  • 4 Hours of Crisis Text Line
    • I’m officially a Level 3 Counselor!! That means I’ve helped over 100 people! It feels so good to do this every week and see the numbers add up.

Charitable Giving

  • Zero

Personal Kindnesses

  • This week I made sure to ask one of my co-workers who is not my favorite about her weekend. Sometimes exchanging a few pleasantries can really make a difference for everyone.

Self Care

  • I have been making sure to get in my exercise. Sweat out the stress!

Please share in the comments how you’re doing this week!

Taking Time for Acclaim

On By beinggoodeIn Causes I Support, Self Care, ThoughtsLeave a comment

The company I work for offers a few programs to encourage community involvement. Of course I volunteer because it’s a part of who I am but the company perks certainly are nice. You can find volunteer opportunities but also record them and at the end of the year based on the number of verified volunteer hours they give you a certain amount to donate to an organization of your choice. With my 202 volunteer hours last year I maxed out this benefit and get to give a serious chunk of cash to my favorite place! It’s really a nice reward to recognize all my hard work.

 

While I don’t do things for the acclaim it is an important part of self-care to allow yourself to be recognized by others and to take a minute to recognize yourself for all your work. Acclaim shouldn’t be sought out but should be welcomed. So I’m taking a moment to celebrate with my grant.

 

Then I realized I have to pick a charity. One charity. How do I choose? Local or global? Which important issue? Health? Environment? Education? So many good people doing good things!! The first rule I made is I’m not going to donate to any of the organizations I volunteered for so that rules out Special Olympics, Crisis Text Line, American Red Cross, Pantene Beautiful Lengths, 826LA, and Homeboy Industries. All fantastic organizations but they got my time last year.

 

So organizations started popping into my head. There is My Friend’s Place which I’ve worked with in the past and just love. The Los Angeles Library that keeps my city literate. To Write Love on Her Arms which is celebrating it’s 10 year anniversary. The Jane Goodall Institue that is a leader in conservation. The Girl Scouts, I was one when I was younger and loved it. Planned Parenthood a very important organization to women’s health in the US. WriteGirl another great local education organization. And other ones keep jumping into my head – RAIIN, UNICEF, Books for Africa, etc, etc.

 

I guess this is a fun thing to think about. I want to pick a charity by the end of the month. Comment or tweet me your thoughts on how to narrow down my choices or suggest an organization for me to add to my list!

Weekly Check-In

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Feeling a little run down trying to juggle everything. But nose to the grindstone I can do anything. Gotta keep hustling.

Traditional Volunteerism

  • 4 Hours of Crisis Text Line (we were busy this week and it’s the first week of my new shift which is an hour later).
  • I tried to donate Platelets but was turned away because they bruised my arm donating blood.

Charitable Giving

  • Zero

Personal Kindnesses

  • I went to the DMV this morning to renew my license. There are signs at every desk saying you can’t abuse or yell at the workers. It’s sad to think how angry people get. I went out of my way to smile and thank everyone I interacted with. I didn’t really want to be there but yelling at DMV workers really wouldn’t have helped anyone.

Self Care

  • Superbowl time means it’s time to get some junk food. I went out for wings earlier this week. Pretty tasty.

Please share in the comments how you’re doing this week!

Happy Groundhog Day!!!

On By beinggoodeIn Self Care, ThoughtsLeave a comment

It’s my favorite holiday. Happy Groundhog Day everyone! And no it’s not my favorite because of the movie.

 

I like it because 1) it’s a magical fortune telling groundhog who writes poetry, 2) I grew up in a place where the prediction mattered, and 3) it’s the easiest least stressful of holidays meaning you can celebrate as much or as little as you want. You can throw a party or forget until the morning of and just wish everyone a “Happy Groundhog Day!”

 

I think it’s an important part of self-care to make the decision to be happy and joyous and let yourself have fun. I know people think I’m kidding when I say Groundhog Day is my favorite holiday but it really is. It’s a day that I just get to be happy and celebrate just because. It makes me smile. This Groundhog has a crew of people in tops and tails taking care of him and thousands of followers to cheer for him.

 

Is there something that other people think is silly that makes you happy? Something that reminds you to smile when you forget? Something that you decide to allow to make you joyous? Share with me in the comments.