I'm slowly coming back from hitting the wall, in terms of my level of activity. This past week, I had a bit more energy, perhaps because of the physical exercise I got.
Spring is teasing us here in Wisconsin. After temperatures in the 80s on Sunday, the rest of last week brought a chill wind, some rain, and even snow flurries on Saturday. All of my outdoor rallies and ventures in petition circulation have taken place in the cold--no friend to my Raynaud's syndrome. Hence, the whitened fingers with which I have held signs and extended pens and clipboards. And the frozen toes on which I have marched and stood and walked.
This morning, I awoke to snow on the ground.
This is what I got done last week, in this inclement season.
Spring is teasing us here in Wisconsin. After temperatures in the 80s on Sunday, the rest of last week brought a chill wind, some rain, and even snow flurries on Saturday. All of my outdoor rallies and ventures in petition circulation have taken place in the cold--no friend to my Raynaud's syndrome. Hence, the whitened fingers with which I have held signs and extended pens and clipboards. And the frozen toes on which I have marched and stood and walked.
This morning, I awoke to snow on the ground.
This is what I got done last week, in this inclement season.
Done for the Week: April 11-17
- Continued off-season race training; completed Week 7 of C2K--three training sessions
- Finished Sepulchre
, by Kate Mosse
- Continued significant volunteer support to transitioning nonprofit
- Attended state Joint Finance Hearing on Governor's proposed biennial budget
- Attended budget protest rally
- Circulated recall petition door to door; 3 hours total
- Attended Board Meeting
- Attended Issues Night
- Attended Good Jobs & Livable Neighborhoods meeting
- Continued to work my two part-time jobs
- Published 4 blog posts
- Meditated 7 times
- Participated in interviews of two finalists for Lead Organizer position, and in hiring recommendation
- Got one son and husband to the gym with me once each
- Attended 2 yoga classes
- Had dinner date with my husband
- Got my last learning driver to driver's ed 5 times
- Shopped for groceries
- Cooked
- Caught up on laundry
- Took son shopping for clothes
- Drove son to DMV, and signed as sponsor for learner's permit
- Watched basketball with husband and sons, including first playoff game of one of the two teams we root for
- Saw my therapist
- Tracked down and took steps to resolve one son's termination from our health insurance
- Paid brief visit to sick grandson
- Paid our monthly bills
- Kept my household checking account out of the red for another month
- Met with website client
Apparently, I neglected to record a focus goal for last week. My intended goal, however, was to complete Week 7 of the Couch Potato to 5K training program, which I did.
I continue to struggle to find time for the training, given all that's going on. I am exhausted too much of the time. Combined with early morning meetings, and other commitments, which push available training time later in the day, I am drawing heavily on my reserves of perseverance. But I am more consistently in the zone of reaching my minimal goal than I was just a few weeks ago. For next week, my focus goal will be to complete the C25K Week 8, and to spread the three required sessions more evenly over the week.
Meeting last week's focus goal was, in my opinion, also the most important thing I got done over the last seven days--which is why item 1 on the list above is not only highlighted in green, but appears in red text.
I am certainly not the only one who battles a chronic low-level depression these days. Nor am I alone in experiencing difficult moods in the spring. Exercise and meditation are the most effective approaches I have found to dealing with feeling sad, overwhelmed, and edgy, as I have recently. So I intend to keep making time for these essential remedies, particularly in my currently stress-filled circumstances.
We are living in uncertain, and contentious times. I would amend the bumper sticker/button/coffee mug saying, "If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention," to read "If you're not anxious and depressed, you're not paying attention." But maybe that's just me. In any case, I'm aiming for tolerable mood and energy, enough to keep me carrying my share of the load and believing in the possibility of a better day, and better conditions for all. Bliss seems out of the question at this time. I will, however, be glad to see the sun and some mild weather, when they finally show up.
I continue to struggle to find time for the training, given all that's going on. I am exhausted too much of the time. Combined with early morning meetings, and other commitments, which push available training time later in the day, I am drawing heavily on my reserves of perseverance. But I am more consistently in the zone of reaching my minimal goal than I was just a few weeks ago. For next week, my focus goal will be to complete the C25K Week 8, and to spread the three required sessions more evenly over the week.
Meeting last week's focus goal was, in my opinion, also the most important thing I got done over the last seven days--which is why item 1 on the list above is not only highlighted in green, but appears in red text.
I am certainly not the only one who battles a chronic low-level depression these days. Nor am I alone in experiencing difficult moods in the spring. Exercise and meditation are the most effective approaches I have found to dealing with feeling sad, overwhelmed, and edgy, as I have recently. So I intend to keep making time for these essential remedies, particularly in my currently stress-filled circumstances.
We are living in uncertain, and contentious times. I would amend the bumper sticker/button/coffee mug saying, "If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention," to read "If you're not anxious and depressed, you're not paying attention." But maybe that's just me. In any case, I'm aiming for tolerable mood and energy, enough to keep me carrying my share of the load and believing in the possibility of a better day, and better conditions for all. Bliss seems out of the question at this time. I will, however, be glad to see the sun and some mild weather, when they finally show up.
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