Foundational Habits

We emptied our basement storage area into our garage this weekend as we prepare for a basement remodel. It is a constant visual reminder that my parents are aging and moving in to our home. This is really happening!

This morning is back to basics, friends. I spent yesterday doing what I tend to do when I lose my day’s focus:

• skipping meals (except for coffee) then eat a HUGE dinner,

• falling into a frenetic email-zoom-screen and body-ignoring hole of hazy productivity,

• racing from ortho appointment to planning meeting without catching my breath,

• running lots of big ideas by people who may or may not be as enthusiastic as I am about these ideas, and

• accomplishing tons yet feeling gross and disconnected, unfettered, scattered by bedtime.

I’m such an Enneagram 7.

As a 7, I tend to handle anxiety in one of two ways - sometimes doing both at the same time:

• THINK, PLAN, CREATE…"they try to keep their minds busy all of the time. As long as Sevens can keep their minds occupied, especially with projects and positive ideas for the future, they can, to some extent, keep anxiety and negative feelings out of conscious awareness.”

• GO, GO, GO… “Likewise, since their thinking is stimulated by activity, Sevens are compelled to stay on the go, moving from one experience to the next, searching for more stimulation. This is not to say that Sevens are "spinning their wheels." They generally enjoy being practical and getting things done.especially with projects and positive ideas for the future, they can, to some extent, keep anxiety and negative feelings out of conscious awareness.”

I am feeling anxious. Anxious that we just wrote a check for a construction project in the basement that will result in a very big transition for my parents and for my household. I’m feeling the anxiety as I type this. Strange warm sensations in my chest and tightening of deep muscles in my shoulders. Breathing in, breathing out. Letting the sensations stay as long as needed, trusting they will dissipate.

There goes the sensations and tightness. Aaaaaahhhh. The sensations are gone within two minutes of noticing, breathing, trusting. Just like Dr. Joan Rosenberg promised.

It’s back to the basics… understanding my physiological responses to stress, my tendencies when anxious, reclaiming the focus for the day, checking my habits and actions to be sure that they align with my values. It’s time to hit the reset button, as my dear friend Sabeth says.

RESET BUTTON PUSHED.

In her book “Better than Before,” Gretchen Rubin observes that there are four areas in which our good habits boost our sense of agency, helping us to understand that we are able to regulate our own behavior. She states that these four foundational habit areas “reinforce each other…are a good place to start for any kind of habit change… and make profound change possible.”

I couldn’t agree more, Gretchen. And I am ready for some GOOD profound change. Let’s start here, my friends:

1. sleep

2. move

3. eat & drink right

4. unclutter

Just four areas. I can remember these.

I had 8 hours of sleep. I’ve done my PANDA planning, and prayed, and read from Luke’s gospel during morning devotions. Now I’m focusing on numbers 2, 3 and 4. My plan:

2. Run 3 miles.

3. Eat steel cut oatmeal, autumn delicious apple, eggs, acorn squash, and turkey chili in the instapot tonight - and 64 oz of water.

4. Tidy my dressers & closet.

Totally do-able. And…..RESET!

A healthful lunch thanks to Jenny’s Market, a fabulous farmstand in West Friendship, Maryland: acorn squash roasted with a little butter, pepper & cinnamon; autumn crisp apples. They are offering drive up ordering & purchasing- very safe & convenient!