mid-week check-in

Well, I pulled out the old Stretching VHS tape and gave it a try over the weekend.  Felt virtuous while doing it, but something about the exercises threw my neck out of alignment.  Hadn't felt that chronic pain in months (since I haven't been doing the kind of intensive writing that was required for Drop the Knife).  See, told ya so.  Well, on the plus side, the sore neck only lasted a day. 

Bill O'Hanlon (author of Do One Thing Different and Thriving Through Crisis) always has creative, solution-focused suggestions.  Here's his list for How to Keep Change Going:

• Remind yourself of the price you pay or will pay for not changing.
• Enlist friends or supporters to help you change, remind you, and keep you on track.
• Link change to positive consequences and activities (for example, I keep myself exercising regularly by listening to favorite audio programs when I walk).
• Don't attend to the feelings and preferences of the moment, but rather attend to the commitment to change or the new action or habit.
• Take the long-term rather than short-term view
• Take risks--remember the old saying:  If you fall on your face, at least you're heading in the right direction.

OK, so I'm going to re-read Bill's book, Do One Thing Different:  Ten Simple Ways to Change Your Life. And unlike the first time through, I'm going to do some of the exercises!

My current creative project: self-care

I've done my autobiographical performance piece, Drop the Knife: A Memoir-in-Song four times now:  U-M campus, Oxford OH, Takoma Park MD, back in Ann Arbor at Washtenaw Community College.  Stacie Chaiken, dramaturg and writing coach, is coming to town the weekend of 6/9, so we're going to do it for her as a house concert.

Anyway,  have been thinking about my next big creative project.  can't say I'm super-excited to face the truth.  Yeah, the truth is my new project is SELF CARE.  damn.  Am out of balance in body-mind-spirit.  Free-floating anxiety, body talking back about various aches and pains.  My old pal Penny says one thing she hates about getting older is how much more time people spend complaining about health problems.  ok, i won't do that--will just spend time writing about what i'm doing to feel better.

yeah, i'm going to blog about my efforts.  the first thing i've put into practice is daily herbal infusions.  no, i'm not hooked up to an IV.  I'm following the advice of Susun Weed, alternating between these four: comfrey leaf, nettles, red clover, and oat straw.  I make 2 one-quart bottles (pour boiling water over a handful of the herb, let it sit overnight, drink the next day).  Susun says you can feel better after 2 weeks.  I'm right at 2 weeks.  am i feeling better?  some of these are supposed to help with adrenal exhaustion, which i'm sure i've got.  no, i don't feel better yet.  but i'm hopeful.  i've got a bunch of great ideas, lots of resources for engaging in self-care.  here's the kicker:  ideas aren't enough.  i need to actually engage in the behaviors.  and that I WILL DO!

beano out.

It was suggested that I create a scrapbook to remind myself what's going well in my life, since I'm tending to be a bit negative these days.  Came across this drawing that just about sums it up--what's going well, I mean.  Oh yeah.