Destructive patterns

[Mrspjsmom]

I always tell myself to do things at a slow, steady pace. Lately my pace is all or nothing. I can't stop thinking about all the things I haven't done so if I have a good day I go nonstop until I can't move. Then I pay with complete exhaustion and physical pain for days. Days where I barely have enough energy to brush my teeth. As the days of exhaustion progress I fall even farther behind. I wish I could find some tunnel vision and concentrate on one task at a time. I hate this cycle. Just needed to vent before I try again today.

[Hidden]

I sort of do the same thing. I don’t have physical limitations, but I do have insomnia. The days I get adequate sleep I take full advantage of feeling good and will catchup on my workouts I missed, tasks not completed, etc. I end up falling down in exhaustion in the evening and I’m not able to sleep more because I did that, I may sleep less, and like today, I exercised a little to heavy 2 days in a row and I’m having muscle soreness and it seems to get me more now that I’m older at 52 in a few months.

So, what I’ve had to do is limit the activities, planning, sticking to the plan. I write a to do list just for the day and do no more. If I have energy and time to do more, that’s tough...and if I end up not being able to do tomorrow’s list that’s to bad. Prioritize your day to cover tasks that are important, pay bills, grocery shopping, etc so you can have rest days. If we don’t get adequate rest both physically and mentally we end up taxxing our self’s too much, the body needs to recover. I forget that too much. Keep practicing.

[Mrspjsmom in reply to Hidden]

Definitely worth trying.

[fauxartist]

The 3 'P's.....perfection, procrastination, and paralysis has plagued me all my life. But depression keeps me stuck some days from wanting to do anything. At least you do finally get up and go....and I get it .....wouldn't it be nice to have a balance...to just be able to do one thing a day so that things don't pile up. It could be something to try to help change patterns you don't like.

[Mrspjsmom in reply to fauxartist]

I only get up and go when I absolutely have to. Then I force myself to keep going.

[fauxartist in reply to Mrspjsmom]

I know the feeling. My disease stalls my life, puts it on hold and leaves me in limbo sometimes. Some days I don't care about anything, and then the light slowly comes back and I can start doing things again. I used to feel guilty, but now I just let myself feel. Its okay that sometimes we just have to be......but to keep healing for me, I also have to move forward. Just remember that whatever you do get done is good enough, and if you don't check off everything on the 'to do list'....that's okay too.