I use the notes app in my phone a lot. In fact, I’m typing in my notes app right now (to later be copied onto the blog).
I’m currently taking a break at work, a time when I usually crack open a book and use my down time to read.
Today is no different; after all my morning duties were complete, I opened and started a new book.
I was reading the black letters on the page while the author talked about Soul Cycle, a fitness class that not only takes care of your physical health, but also your spiritual health.
Her words got my mind wandering and I quickly found myself distracted from the reading. I began thinking about how, at the beginning of the year, I made a goal (a “New Year’s Resolution” if you will) to attend two workout classes each month of the year.
Like any mediocre New Year’s Resolution, well, it didn’t even make it through January.
While I was thinking of starting this goal back up as a fun way to take care of my physical health, I opened my notes app and began typing. The title read: “Things I Want to Do Better…” before I wrote “…to Take Care of Myself”, I paused, deleting the letters so that only the yellow line was blinking at the top left side of the screen. Why did I just write I Want to?
Giving it a little bit of thought, the title of that notes page was only setting me up for failure. Instead of articulating an actual plan (like as to where I would attend a workout class or when I had a free morning in my schedule), I was just making a note to empty my thoughts.
Let me explain it this way: A very large percent of the population would say “I want to be healthy” or “I want to visit my family more” or “I want to travel more”. But, by placing the four letter word want in the sentence makes it more of a dream and less of a goal that will actually be followed up with action.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t believe there is anything wrong with emptying thoughts onto a notes page in your iPhone. I do it quite often. However, my point in opening the notes page during this moment went deeper than that.
Our words have a big impact on our way of thinking and the action that follows. So, instead of wanting to get better at self-care, I will be better at self-care.
The title now reads: “Things I Will Do for Self-Care”.
