Prioritising the important things

I have been working on many facets of my life in the last eighteen months and I am just starting to see some forward progress. There are days when I falter.  There are days when I fall flat on my face.  But, for the most part, I am keeping it together more and more.   My sense of humour is coming back and I can generally pull myself back from the chasm of despair before I fall headlong into it.  I am stronger in dealing with other people and getting what I need from life. A gorgeous friend has a phrase that is repeated often; "prioritise the things that are important". I spent some time reflecting on this today.

My kids come first. No exceptions, no questions, no negotiation. In fact, family fills the top spots in my priority list.  My sister has been a rock for me.  She's always there, day or night, and has never let me down.  There are things we don't agree on but I respect her and she supports me regardless of the decisions I make. I have been so pleasantly surprised with how the rest of my family have banded together to support me and we have such a blast when we are together. I will be forever grateful for that.

There are few friends that have stood by my side during this tough time and, for them, I would move heaven and earth.

It is important that I spend time with people who build me up.  I can tear myself down better than anyone else; I don't need to be around others that do the same.

I am learning that prioritising myself occasionally is not selfish but necessary.  If I don't exercise, I fall in a heap.  I need that endorphin rush to cope.  Therefore, I prioritise going to the gym as I know that if I skip it, life is much harder to cope with.  Likewise, I need time to write.  Without the release I get from writing, I cannot let things go.  There's something about seeing my feelings written coherently that makes them easier to cope with or move forward from.

Healthy food makes a difference too.  I have not been eating enough fruit lately and I notice how sluggish I feel.

Rest and sleep present an issue for me.  I am incapable of rest; it is just not in my constitution. With adequate sleep I cannot turn off my brain so my body enters protective mode and I only sleep for a couple of hours a night; regardless of what time I go to bed.

A clean home is important to me so I take the time to maintain it.  I like to dress well and I am making a plan to move forward.