The realisation that regulation comes first has been revelatory – I always put things like ‘go for a walk’ and ‘go to bed earlier’ in the ‘nice to do if I have time’ category, along with other self care needs. But they come first, everything else second. So while I’m still not implementing 100%, it’s finally clicked, I know it to be true.
I’ve planned every week since January, and have felt calmer getting my thoughts and ideas and plans down on paper in an actual book. Even just writing the plan is calming and I feel less panicky about forgetting things.
Sending Linda an accountability photo of my daily walk helped embed the habit of getting regular daylight over the winter, and I’ve continued by using my walk as my own ‘coaching’ session, dictating voice notes to myself.
My most significant success is the simplest: realising I’m a tactile person and that paper-based systems work best for me.
I’m much better at managing my energy, and doing things at a time that suits my energy, not necessarily the most ‘logical’ time. I’m also aware of when I’m ‘circling’ a task, and finding a way to start to break the inertia.
