30 Minutes of Worry per day

The other day, I worried myself sick. Literally. I had so much on my mind...work, family, Mighty Petunia!! My mind was a whirl wind and going 24/7 for several weeks. And you can only do that for so long. So, my mind and body cried UNCLE and I ended up sick for 2 days.  It gave me some time to think about how I had gotten myself to that point. 

The answer, which became clear after alot of really bad TV, a crying jag, and several hours laying on the bed staring at the ceiling,  is (drumroll please) misplaced priorities. It's that easy.  I make everyone else's problems, my problems. Then I ignore what keeps me healthy and happy so I can REALLY focus on their issues, and then I drive myself into the ditch. Sound familiar?

So this is my new plan. When I am getting so wrapped up in other people's "stuff", I'm giving myself 30 minutes a day to think about all the issues floating around.  30 minutes of uninterrupted, focused or unfocused (whichever my mind wants) thinking. No cell phone or distractions.  I will let my mind go where it wants to go. I can think worse case scenario. I can think best case scenario. I can think what if. I can try to solve the problem or just feel really badly for the person going through whatever it is. And then, after that 30 minutes, I am putting a lid on that box until the next day.

Then, for the rest of the day and night, I will do what keeps me healthy and happy. I will workout on the days I am supposed to workout. I won't move workout to another night so that I can spend the evening worrying! I will move prepping my food back to a priority and other things will be placed around it. I will go to bed without worrying that I should be staying up to think more about all the problems.  Why? Because I can be a much better mom, wife, friend, employee and boss when I am taking care of myself. We have all been trained that as women our job is to take care of others. Even to the detriment of ourselves and that just isn't right.  I can't take care of those important to me if I am laying in bed, sick with worry. 

Gotta go. Need to spend 30 minutes worrying about my kid who is making a big move to Florida at the beginning of August! Then it's off to play some golf with my hubby.

MIGHTY PETUNIA