Sundays can be the worst. A friend of mine calls it the “Sunday Scaries” – you know the feeling. Monday is looming, you haven’t done your grocery shopping for the week, the kitchen is a disaster, you have a work deadline to meet, the weekend flew by, and you can barely see over the pile of dirty laundry on the floor. My to-do list for the weekend has maybe one item checked off. And as quickly as the weekend passed by, you know the weekdays will seem to bleed together into one long day.
In the midst of this, I need to prep tasty, healthy, clean meals for the week. I need to get 8 hours of sleep every night. I need to drink more water (and less coffee), and I need to budget in 3-4 days where I get a good solid training session in at the gym. I mean c’mon Leslie, you own a gym, don’t you have all of these things completely under control?
Not quite.
I’ve prepped meals week after week. I’ve mastered a sleep schedule. I have proudly carried around a new fancy water bottle that reminded me to hydrate. I’ve trained 4-5 days per week consistently for months and achieved amazing results. That doesn’t mean I am now magically able to do that perfectly during any given week. In fact, I haven’t been on my game the past few months. Just because I have been able to do these things in the past doesn’t make it any easier to do it today.
And that is okay.
But, I DO know how great I feel when I DO accomplish these things…
When I prep and have a plan for my food, my meals during the week are fantastic and fresh. I am not up late cooking (or up late feeling icky after grabbing takeout). I get a solid night’s sleep, night after night. When I drink enough water my skin feels amazing, and I am less lethargic. I savor my morning cup of joe (instead of chugging it down before I bite someone’s head off).
When I’m able to train consistently, my body is less achy. I feel mentally ready to tackle the challenges of a small business owner. I sleep better. I eat better. I FEEL better.
So instead of tackling the lengthy list I seem to have every Sunday evening, I am going to pick one to get back on track. (Don’t worry, I’ll get my laundry done and wear clean clothes to the gym????.)
And instead of the ‘Scaries,’ I’m taking back my Sunday night. Instead of criticizing myself for procrastinating, I will fill myself with thoughts like “Hey, you’re making yummy meals for next week’s dinner. Won’t it feel great not to feel like you have to rush to the store on Tuesday night?”
I want you to know that even though we are experts on these topics – good nutrition, great health habits, exercise physiology, and overall wellness practices – that doesn’t mean we are perfect. We struggle too. Sometimes I need to step back and just…pick…one…thing…
So here’s your challenge come Sunday. What will you choose to tackle this week? What is the ONE thing that will make your week run more smoothly?
