We all know I’m the Queen of getting shit done.
You do know that, right?
If not, well then you haven’t been reading the blog long enough because there are days I impress even myself. If you stick around for a few weeks, you’ll see just how list ambitious I can be. Plus I’m humble…or not. The way I see it is confidence is a good thing and so is self acceptance. I just happen to have both in spades.
I’m a classic Type A personality, which means I’m a super-organizing, hyper-planning, OCD list-loving machine. I like getting things done….a lot. Crossing things off my many To Do lists makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. Sure you could probably get the same tingly feeling from a hit of X, but then you might wake up hung over in a strangers bed, with a lollipop stuck to your forehead and your right arm coated in cherry flavored chapstick; not that I would know from actual experience. I’m guessing here. In any event, I think it’s safer and simpler to make a list and cross items off said list.
While there are some real positives to being a type A personality, there’s always a flip side to that coin. That’s the thing about coins. There’s always two sides to them. Fickle, fair-weather things.
Sure Type A’s can be super efficient, but they can also put an unreasonable amount of pressure on themselves: pressure to get things done, pressure to be liked, pressure to be perfect, pressure to keep up with the Jones’, pressure to bring your A game, pressure to please, pressure, pressure, pressure. I feel like we should break out the classic Queen here. Aw hell, it’s been awhile since I’ve played any music. Let’s just do it.
All of this pressure can be down right exhausting and often leads to self-created stress, and while the stress is very real, it’s also largely self-created based upon your own unrealistic expectations for yourself. I know because I do it all the time.
Here’s the thing though. If you push yourself too hard, you will break. It’s that simple. I broke once (alright maybe a couple of times, but who’s counting) and I got help (it’s possible the Hubby forced me) so I know the warning signs and how to prevent future breakage. I know how to shift my own expectations to make them reasonable, I’ve learned how to relax without guilt, and I’ve also embraced the good things about my type A personality. Knowledge really is power.
So this week instead of focusing on how super impressive I was, and believe you me, I was super impressive, I’m going to share the ways in which I relaxed in the past seven days.
- I meditated a handful of times, including one time at the office. I shut my door, positioned myself in a sun patch on my desk and did a five-minute mediation using my Mindful Meditation iPhone App. Of course, there’s an app for that.
This picture is from a totally different day because I was meditating… obviously and not taking pictures, but at least you get the idea.
- I made it a point to go to sleep earlier than usual. Plus, I slept in every single day of the long weekend, netting at least nine hours a night. I can’t even stress (in a good way) how much better you feel after a good night of z’s. The world is a far better place on sleep.
- I had a glass of wine one random week night while making myself some comfort food: Creamy Potato Soup with Chives, which became dinner two nights in a row. The soup; not the wine.
Is it weird the vegetarian is drinking wine from a bottle with a fish on it?
- I dug out an old gift card and went and got an hour long relaxation massage. My god, I wish I could do that one every week.
- I soaked in multiple bubble bathes. Aside from this picture, I didn’t play on my phone, read on my iPad or think about anything really. I just relaxed and became one with the bubbles. How very Zen of me.
- I took more time to read things…other than blogs. Forgive me. I needed to curl up with a good book and my most recent issue of Eating Well.
- I pampered myself with an at home spa treatment: face masks and a manicure.
- I had dance parties at 7:30 in the morning. When Billy Idol comes on, regardless of the time, you dance. He is the original duck face.
- I watched some movies, including Life of Pi and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. I liked both of them, although the Hubby wasn’t a fan of Pi and I didn’t even subject him to the Marigold Hotel. There’s no way he would have made it through that one.
All in all, I had a great week. I accomplished a ton of unmentioned stuff, and more importantly, I made it point to relax and take care of myself. At the end of the day, that’s far more important than making sure all the yard work is done or having clean underwear….oh crap.
What did you do this past week to take care of yourself? Do you feel guilty for relaxing, and how do you overcome that guilt? Me, I just tell that voice to “Shut yer pie hole.”
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Interested in participating in the Week In Review…good, you should be.
Here’s how it works:
- Your post should be about all the things you accomplished in the last seven days or so.
- Your post can be about food, social outings, workouts, home improvement projects, fun excursions, none of the above, or all of the above. The idea is to recognize all the things you accomplished in the past seven days. It’s an ode to yourself, a celebration of sorts, and a virtual pat on the back. Plus you get to write in list form, which rocks my socks. Although if you want to stick to prose go ahead; it’s your world.
- Add the Week in Review button to your post, link back to Clean Eats, Fast Feets and get your list on.
- Or you can be like me and make up own your rules. If you can justify it, I’ll accept it. How’s that for lenient?
Yoga always relaxes me.
Great idea. I should try to do more yoga.
That’s a super classy picture of you on the desk. You look so deep in thought.
I’ve been doing a horrible job at commenting on blogs lately. I still read them just as frequently but just forget to comment. I need to work on that.
I’ve never taken a bubble bath before. Bath yes. Bubble bath no. I think the smelly suds would make my skin break out in a rash (not the first time that would happen). And definitely the opposite of relaxation.
I watched Galaxy Quest over the weekend 🙂 For some reason I was dying to see it all week and when I got home I promptly announced to my family that we would rent/watch it without question. Come Sunday night we decided to save a bit on gas and just rent it via Amazon. So hilarious and just what I needed.
Sounds like you had a great weekend. Another awesome Review Meghan!
I was getting ready to eat my lunch in that picture; maybe that’s why I look deep in thought. Ha.
I’m glad you got to have a relaxing long weekend with the family. It sounds perfect, although I’d say stay away from the bubbles. No allergic reactions here.
I am SO type A personality, so I feel ya. I need to do some of these relaxing things toooooo
Yep, they always help and somehow things still get done.
Ugh I felt like you were describing me with all that pressure talk! I need to calm my brain the eff down sometimes!! I felt relaxed just reading all your relaxing activities, I especially love the meditation on your desk idea, plus if that is your view..BAZINGA!
That is my view, and I love it. Sometimes I eat lunch on my desk, right in a sun patch. Talk about ideal.
Tell the brain to chill and then give it something relaxing to do. It’ll help. I promise.
OMG, did you not love the best marigold hotel??? I adored that movie.
Sorry, I’ve been remiss in my week in reviews lately. There hasn’t been much to review 🙁
I did love it. I’m a sucker for those types of movies though. The quirkier and more off beat the better.
It’s all good. You’ll come back when you’re ready (sorta like figure comps). 🙂
Well you know how much type A I have in me…
When I do make it a point to relax (and I’m still at the point in my life where I’m not doing that as regularly as I should…) I love baths. No bubbles because my skin doesn’t like it, but lots of hot steamy water, a pretty smelling candle, and my most relaxing piano station on Pandora. I also like taking the time to walk around someplace pretty. And curling up in a patch of sun on my bed for a literal cat-nap.
It sounds like you had a wonderfully productive week relaxing 🙂 and thanks for the reminder to try and do it a little more often.
Now that does sound relaxing. I’m a fan of anything that involves a sun patch and a cat nap.
So glad to see that you gave your self some time to relax, Meghan! Relaxing over the weekend is especially important for you right now with your Hubby being away during the week. Being together is great especially when you’ve been forced to spend time apart. I may be facing that at some time in the not too distant future, so I may be asking for pointers! Enjoy your week!
I did half this relaxing stuff in the middle of the week Fran, and it was lovely. I’m here for you if you have to spend some time apart from Ralph.
Oh my gosh you’re hilarious. That “tingly feeling” paragraph made me laugh out loud. I get the same feeling from lists, too, so I know what you mean!
You’re right, though. It is too easy for us type-A people to push ourselves too hard and snap. I’ve done it loads of times, and it’s never a good feeling, no matter how perfect your project, task, etc. turned out to be. I love the idea of focusing on your “chillaxing” week.
I love that picture of you on the desk! It seems like it belongs in a magazine.
I almost pulled the tingly feeling paragraph. In fact, I actually did pull it and then I added it back in, so I’m glad you liked it.
Snapping always turns out bad for us. In fact, I don’t think it’s a good thing for anyone involved.
I’ve been wanting to get into meditating but truth be told, I just can’t get into the right state of mind for extended periods of time. Five minutes though? Now even I can manage that- will have to look into that app 🙂
I’m horrible at meditation because I can’t seem to sit still or slow down for any length of time, which is also the reason I need to do it. Five minutes works great and maybe I can build up to the 10 minute app one day. You should definitely check it out. The app is called Mindfulness Meditation and it’s from Mental Workout.
Ahh…yeah…I’m classic Type A as well, and I love gettin’ shit done, but I definitely feel the effects of its negative aspects. It drives Chris bananas about how reluctant I am to “relax.” This seems counter-intuitive, but sometimes I’ll just add that shit to my To Do list. Like, I’ll write something like “Meditate for 10 minutes” or “Yoga” and that makes me more likely to do it.
I love the idea of reflecting on the ways that you relaxed! It’s great to remember that, for people like us, relaxation is super important.
I add relaxing things to my To Do lists all the time. This way I get to relax and I still feel like I’m accomplishing things. It’s a win-win situation. How is Saipan? I think about you all the time.
Oh oh oh ohhhhh… that’s my Billy Idol if you didn’t catch on. Because you know, I can’t come here and comment without making a music reference, b/c baby, you just do that to me.
God I know where you’re coming from though! I’m that way too. It’s refreshing to know there are other equally impressive people out there 😉 xoxo
I like your Billy Idol. You can sing to me anytime.
I met you, and that was an island of relaxation (and gelato) in a sea of . . . well, not stress as much as activity. Unrelenting activity.
That was one thing I did for myself.
My MapMyWalk stats for the month of August:
WORKOUT SUMMARY for 08/01/2013 – 08/31/2013
41 workouts
36 routes
100.9 total dist. (miles)
34.2 hours
8,839 kcal burned
Plus driving to/from Cleveland in a day and a bunch of stuff I cannot remember now. However, I have a handful of last week’s blogs to read and then the inbox is Empty, Clean, and Ready to start a new week.
Woot!
“The world is a far better place on sleep.” <- There could not be truer words! Thankfully, I have managed to slip into a bit of a good sleeping groove over the last couple of weeks (withOUT medication and/or herbal remedies! Score!) I even managed to get a solid two hour nap in today before work AFTER making some produce my b!tch in the kitch! 😉 But seriously, I LOVE this post! I've learned a lot about myself in the last year or so and one of them is that taking care of ME has to be one of my top priorities. I used to need reminding of that on a pretty consistent basis (I would never really feel "guilty" about it, but instead just get so wrapped up in things that I would forget to breathe…let alone relax!) but now I'm pretty good and realizing when my body or mind (or both) needs a break. One of the SMARTEST things I've done recently was signing up for a VIP membership at a new spa that just opened up in town! I can get a one hour massage (or facial) EVERY month for like half the amount of money I was paying at the place I used to go to and if I don't use it one month, it rolls over! I'm also a huge fan of bubbles (baths too! ;)), and mmmm, a good Chardonnay is where it's AT!
Good for you for reigning it in this week (or really last…hey, I'm almost caught up!) and getting down with your chillaxing self!
It’s so easy to get caught up in life that sometimes we forget to just breath. Learning your own cues for needing some relax time is a huge deal and it’s the first step towards listening to those cues.
You know I’m a huge planner and champion for getting things done, but I also want people to realize I’m not some crazy machine (alright sometimes I am), but I also take time to stop and relax. It recharges my batteries and I think is one of the key components to getting things done. It’s odd but sometimes you have to do nothing to be successful at everything.
Seriously, I’m putting that last sentence in quotes and taping it to my fridge! Wise words woman…wise words INDEED!
That’s me; the wise sage who eats #publicbananas. 😉