Hello lovelies,
Well, the birthday month has been and gone. As usual, in March, I had a lot of fun.
I do try my best to stay positive, but life is often one big whirlwind, and I sometimes find myself focusing on the negatives, which makes me forget all of the good things that have happened. That is why I enjoy doing these monthly reflections.
It gives me a chance to press pause on the chaos, catch up with where I’m at and where I’m heading, and fine-tune my goals and actions each month. It makes such a difference, giving me a little boost of motivation and getting the month off to a good start.
If that sounds like something you would like to do, you can sign up for my mailing list, and I’ll send you a free monthly check-in worksheet to guide you through your own monthly reflections.
Choices, Not Chores
Last month, I said I wanted to start using my task list as more of a menu, where I select what I am going to that day, and I also wanted to improve my mental health after seeing some of my old anxieties return, and some of my self-care tools began to slip,
I quickly found my feet using my task list as a menu, and I loved it! Having a list of tasks to choose from instead of a list of to-do’s made such a difference to my mindset, and it really took the pressure off.
I didn’t end my days feeling like a failure if I didn’t tick something off my list because it felt like more of a choice than a chore.
In regards to my mental health, I realised that this was mainly related to my hormones, so I spoke with my doctor and increased my HRT dosage, and it didn’t take long for me to start feeling better. It’s not a cure-all, and I still need to make some lifestyle changes.
Hanging Up on My Comfort Zone
March felt it was full of wins, and once the hormones kicked in, there seemed to be no stopping me.
I had not one but two calls. One for business and another for my health. I hate speaking on the phone to strangers, but I decided enough was enough, and I wasn’t going to keep letting this silliness stop me from moving forward.
I leapt right out of my comfort zone, and nothing terrible happened! It gave me a confidence boost, and without all that worry clouding my mind, I felt clearer about my goals and even came up with some exciting new ideas for my business.
Challenges and Setbacks
I would have to say that my main challenge in March was my hormones. The knock-on effect was huge. It makes all the other things, like imposter syndrome and self-doubt, seem much bigger.
The anxiety that I felt before those two calls was frustrating. I used to speak to people on the phone all day at work, but over the last few years, picking up the phone to anyone is something I try to avoid.
I think the problem I find is that because I work for myself, the times when I am not working are usually filled with something else, like housework or cooking or seeing family and friends. When I’m not doing something, it’s because I want to do nothing, and a phone call at that moment feels just as intrusive as someone knocking on my door.
Communication and keeping in touch are good for the soul, so I really do want to make more of an effort to pick up the phone, both in my personal life and in business. However, I think I need to get more of a grip on my schedule before I can focus on that. I really do struggle to have downtime, and that’s a more important skill I need to learn right now.
Habits and Behaviours
March was another social month. My birthday month always is, although I still managed to stick to one or two things a week because I find that any more than that, especially if it involves alcohol, can leave me feeling exhausted and depressed.
I walked a lot, especially during my trip to New York, where my husband and I logged over 25,000 steps in one day!
My water intake is getting better, so I need to go back to keeping tabs on but if I’m at home, I tend to opt for water instead of squash and keep Coke Zero to meal times.
My sleep, however, is another matter. One bad night’s sleep can knock me for six and throw all my good intentions out the window, but I’m learning a lot from Laura Lambe. I will make some changes to see if I can improve this.
Personal Growth and Development
My moods have fluctuated, hitting some of the lowest lows at the beginning of March. I stuck to my walks and drinking water and stayed away from social media when it was making me feel worse because comparison truly is the thief of joy.
My mood had improved by the time my birthday rolled around, and I could enjoy the celebrations. I even found myself less concerned with what other people think of me, another ongoing saga that comes in peaks and troughs.
I also bit the bullet and sent out some requests for testimonials to some of my friends, so if you are one of the un/lucky few to have got an email, I would be very grateful if you could reply 😬
Goal Setting for the Next Month
Now, my favourite part! Setting the goals.
Below, I’ve listed my three main goals for April and the five actionable steps I plan to take.
- Improve my healthy habits, which I am mainly doing to improve my mood.
- Aim to eat 20-25g of Fibre per day.
- Get outside and walk every day.
- Do two strength training sessions per week.
- Track my protein intake.
- Manage my stress levels, because I want to decrease my cortisol levels, which are affecting my sleep.
- Do a daily meditation, which I am going to do in the form of the game betwixt.
- Spend less time on my screens.
- Set (and stick to!) working hours.
- Daily gratitudes.
- Breathing exercises when I feel stressed or overwhelmed.
- Start an accountability group to help myself and others be accountable.
- Add people to the accountability group
- Create groups for different areas
- Share my weekly and monthly goals.
- Share my daily gratitude.
- Share my weekly wins.
I’ve already set up the accountability group and added those who wanted to join, so I’ve got a head start. I will use that to keep myself accountable for these goals. If you like the sound of the accountability group, let me know, and I will send you the link to join.
I need to be careful not to become too overwhelmed by this, so I need to be strict with my working hours and my screen time.
So there you have it, my March Reflections and April. Don’t forget to sign up for your free worksheet and share your reflections in the comments, or post them on social media and tag me.
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