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Welcome back to Thank God It’s Monday! You know how sometimes in life there just seems to be a recurring theme that comes up over and over again? This week for me, the theme is “reset.” But you already know around here we’re not talking about juice cleanses and crazy workout plans. Even in a balanced lifestyle, there is room to reset. tl;dr Is it time for a reset in your life? Mentally or physically if you engage in the same repetitive action for a long time, it will transition from a conscious effort to an unconscious effort. A reset can create a refreshed awareness to revitalize your progress. What area in your life do you need to refresh? The two places where I saw the theme of a reset were first in a Netflix series I am watching called Unlocked: A Jail Experiment. I love anything that has to do with personal development and human nature (remember the last series about the blue zones I was raving about?). This series is about a high-security detention center in Arkansas where prisoners are kept until their trial and typically are on lockdown 23 hours of the day with only one hour to be out of their cells. The experiment (not too surprising of a spoiler here) is where the administration opens up the cell doors to see if the inmates can safely conduct themselves with the freedom to move about the unit. They conducted a “reset” for the individuals when they were not following some of the rules. You’ll have to watch the rest to find out more! The other place a reset came about this week was in the online course I took last fall to learn how to build my own online course. Amy Porterfield who created the course that I took launched a “Reset Challenge” after almost half of the participants in the course last year said they hadn’t officially launched their own course yet, myself included, due to one reason or the other. So the reset challenge was a perfect little kick in the butt to get the ball rolling again where it had dropped. Obviously, a reset is supposed to mimic a fresh start because it helps you take a step back and get your head out of the weeds. However, I don’t particularly think it is helpful to think of it as a completely fresh start because you have all of the experience that you obtained the first time around since you truly started your project. And all of that experience is valuable. You learned what worked for you and what didn’t work for you. You also learned what you can do better in the future. Sometimes you get so bogged down in the minutiae of your progress and your challenge that you forget to take an aerial view to reassess your accomplishments and your destination. Instead, I like to think of a reset as a spring cleaning. All of the clutter (mentally or physically) that has built up needs to be flushed out and washed. Sometimes we need a reset by reorganizing the furniture in our rooms, changing up our workout routine, or adjusting our walking/running route. But sometimes we also need a reset psychologically. Humans do well with acute amounts of stress and adequate recovery. A difficult workout helps our muscles grow when we have a recovery day. A challenge at work helps us learn if we have time to process the information. And sometimes we just have a busy season of life that requires a reset to recover from. Now, I also want to distinguish a reset from the form of “self-care” that has become misrepresented in popular culture such as spending a ton of money on new clothes, overindulging in eating or drinking, or binge-watching a Netflix series because you “deserved it.” The reason these things do not count as a reset is because afterward, you don’t usually feel refreshed and ready to take on life’s next challenge. Usually, these things leave you feeling guilty and distracted from reality. A reset instead should allow you to turn back your stress dial and enjoy the present moment (instead of always planning ahead which you might do during a busy season). Engaging in activities that distract you from reality instead of enjoying it doesn’t help you reset and recover. A reset should help you enjoy your life and live in the moment. After a busy season with work or even in your personal life, maybe you can increase your time spent outside by going on an extra walk outside or engaging in extra time reflecting (journaling, meditation, whatever floats your boat). You can take time to reflect on the busy season to see where you spent your time and if you would utilize it differently in the future. It’s also a perfect time to reassess your forward trajectory. A reset is a wonderful tool because sometimes we can get so caught up in the day-to-day of life (working, exercising, checking off our to-do list) that we forget to step back and remember how lucky we are to be alive. A reset should help you get in touch with all of the sensations that remind you life is good. Maybe now isn’t a good time for a reset for you (remember it’s not meant to be a distraction from reality, it’s supposed to help you engage and enjoy reality). Maybe it’s your season to work hard and reach that goal you’ve been working towards. Or maybe it’s your time for a reset. Do something with this time that allows you to enjoy your life, redefine your goals, and breathe the fresh air. A reset just might be what you need. If you found some value in this, please share it with a friend you think would enjoy it! And let me know if you’d like to be added to get TGIM. Or visit https://walshwellness.weebly.com/ for older editions and if you’d like to subscribe. This week my podcast recommendation is from Motivation with Brendan Burchard, “Why Perfect Isn’t Perfect.” We often get so hung up on the perfect plan that we never take action (ie the perfect workout, the perfect meal plan, the perfect project). This episode was a reminder that we can (and should!) take imperfect action on our journey. Whether you’re trying to start your own business, improve your sleep habits, or develop your perfect retirement plan, start by taking action because you will learn so much more from doing something wrong than from doing nothing. With that, happy May everyone! Until next time, Shannon |
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