moh-tuh-vey-shuhn, noun, from the medieval latin mōtīvus

Uhhh, you know how bloggers, lots of bloggers, get into a rhythm and a schedule? Like they post every day and they plan ahead and work it all out? This is not one of those posts. I just needed someone to talk to.

I am really flagging when it comes to my personal motivation lately. I have a reading list the size of Mars and the end of summer is looming ALREADY and I can’t summon the energy to clean the apartment or empty my inbox or study or ANYTHING. I want to be successful, I want to buckle down and get stuff done. But right now I feel like I’m just watching the calendar pages floating away like they do on old Saturday morning cartoons and I just want to stop the clock for another five or six weeks. WHEW.

I just needed to get that out there into the universe. This weekend, I plan to clean the apartment until it squeaks. And then maybe that reading list will seem more manageable somehow. I just can’t think inside the mess.

Alright. Make me feel better. What helps you get re-motivated when you’re in a slump?

love, elizabeth

Tea Party

It’s finals week and that means much caffeine and little sleep (and a whole lot of teeth grinding – my jaw has been popping all day from the stress). But God gives us solace in the little, quiet spaces between things. And this was mine today.

What about you? Had a little moment of solace this week?

love, elizabeth

5 Ways to Conquer Stress

Today I’m presenting at a conference in Kentucky which means…I am far away from my baby blog. In my absence, my dear blog-friend Ashley has come over to share her expertise as a counselor with all of us….leave her some love, please. And be sure to check out her blog, A Recipe for Sanity for great cooking tips, thoughts on learning to love herself, and life with her sweet guy…Ashley is on my regular reading list for a reason. If you haven’t met yet, I’ll think you’ll LOVE her!

………………..

Like all of you, I wear many hats. I work full time; I’m a master’s student in Marriage and Family Therapy (which means they’ve actually unleashed me on real people with real problems!), and I’m also a partner to Rob, the most incredible guy on the planet. You can see how sometimes things get a bit hectic.

I’ve realized over the years the importance of taking care of myself so that I can take care of others. Without self-care, I wind up sitting in the corner, crying and eating my hair. (Okay, maybe not exactly like that, but just talk to Rob. He’ll tell you it’s pretty close!) The lovely Elizabeth has asked me to share with you five ways to manage stress and take care of yourself, so here goes:

1. Pamper Yourself: Do something calming for both your mind and your body. This could be anything that relaxes you, and it doesn’t have to cost much, if anything at all! I’m a grad student, so I don’t always have the money to go out and get a pedicure or a massage. But I’ll pamper myself by giving myself a home pedicure, or using a face mask that makes me look like a member of the Blue Man Group. I’ll light a candle, take a long shower, and relax with a television show or movie that only I enjoy. Moments like this that are just for me really help me to manage stress and feel more balanced.
2. Move It!: I am so guilty of putting this on the back burner, but finding a physical activity that you enjoy is huge in managing stress. It could be anything you like: a run in your favorite park, a yoga class with a friend, or a zumba video you got from the library. Even if you go outside just to enjoy nature and look around, it’s great for your mind and body and will reduce your stress level. If you’re like me and you’re always putting the other things on your to-do list before this, schedule it in!
   

   Source: itsfitnessbaby.blogspot.com via Ashley on Pinterest

3. Eat Something (But Not Just Anything!): I notice that when I’m really busy and stressed, I tend to grab for the first thing I can eat quickly. The problem with that is that those meals are usually not what my body needs to feel energized and ready to face a long day. Lately, I’ve been making more of an effort to have healthy foods on hand, like pieces of fruit and yogurts I can just grab from the fridge. I know we’ve all heard it before, but I’ve noticed that when I’m getting the kind of nutrition my body needs to power through a 14+ hour day, I feel so much better. As tempting as it is, don’t skip meals because you’re too busy, and plan ahead so that you are eating delicious foods that support your crazy-busy lifestyle!
4. Rant If You Need To: I’m serious: I believe in the therapeutic power of venting to friends, on your blog, to your cat…whatever works for you. Holding negative emotions in is only going to increase the blow-up when you finally lose it later (or am I just talking about myself?). When you have a bad day, tell someone about it or do something physical (kickboxing class, perhaps?) to express your emotions.
   

   Source: someecards.com via Ashley on Pinterest

5. Get Some Sleep: I know, I know. You’ve heard this one before. The busier you are and the more stress you have, the less sleep you might be getting each night. Everyone tells you to get those 8 hours, but I know firsthand that it doesn’t always work that way. Still, get as much sleep as you can. Try to unwind before bed with a book or other relaxing activity. Make sleep a priority so that you can get the rest you need to conquer another busy day and keep your stress levels down.

- Ashley

 

Source: mylifecoachsparkles.blogspot.com via Ashley on Pinterest

 

See what I mean? Ashley needs to be MY counselor! Go here to check out her blog.

What about you? What ways do you manage stress for yourself?

love, elizabeth

Dropping the Ball

You know that feeling…

Where you feel like you’ve been juggling a million things…but don’t remember which things exactly…

And you’re pretty sure you dropped the ball…

But you just aren’t sure which one…

Yeah. That feeling.

 

Hey, Monday…let’s do this.

love, elizabeth

Spooky on a Monday

I finally hit the Wall of Stress over the weekend so blog posts may be a little thin this week.

Stress or no stress, it’s October 31st and I’m making some room for a few moments of ghoulish cheer.

Here’s one of my favorite covers of an old classic, just in time for Halloween…

 

Hope whatever you’re doing, you’re having a (safe) blast doing it.

Happy Halloween!

love, elizabeth

Just Do the Next Thing

Sometimes I write my blog post titles and think, Well, now no one needs to read the actual post. This might be one of those times.

It's easy for me to feel a little panicked with the Monday dawn. Sometimes the whole being-a-PhD-student-thing accompanied by the married-woman-thing and the volunteer-advocate-thing with a heavy helping of the being-a-grownup-thing is a tad on the overwhelming side. Sometimes I want to scream, WHO GAVE ME ALL THESE THINGS?? THERE ARE TOO MANY THINGS!

Source: earmarkinvitations.com via Elizabeth on Pinterest

In an occasional fit of panic, I call my mother who gives me the advice I now know by heart. It's very good advice. And very comforting to a worried worrier like me.

"Just do the next thing," she says. "Not ALL the things. Just the next one."

So today, I am trying to focus on "just the next thing."


What about you? What helps you cope when you're feeling overwhelmed?


love, elizabeth

Thankful

Sometimes it’s a bad idea to turn on the news. Kyle and I don’t have television so we don’t watch the headlines but we do listen to a lot of radio. After a particularly depressing round of stories about the bad economy, the rising unemployment, the violent upheaval around the world, and the famine in Ethiopia, I found myself in the grocery store check-out line last night.

“How are you today?” the cashier asked as he handed me my receipt.

“You know, I’m alright,” I said. “After listening to the news, I’m feeling like I’m doing pretty good, considering.”

He nodded, “Yeah, I guess it’s just good that we’re still here.”

His words have stuck with me since yesterday.

I don’t really talk about this  on the blog very much but I volunteer as an advocate for sexual assault survivors who come to the hospital. It’s something I’m very, very passionate about and I love having the opportunity to be a tiny part of her or his recovery “team.” This morning, after a particularly difficult case, I was once again struck by the cashier’s words, “I guess it’s just good that we’re still here.”

I am often tempted to be discouraged by the financial struggle, the stress of grad school, the difficulty of marriage and of life, period. This morning I was reminded that God’s provision in my life continues to be very real and very consistent. I may not have all it together in terms of money or career or life goals…but God has been good enough to keep me sheltered and loved and showered with opportunities to love others. And no recession or debt crisis or famine can take away my ability to love. I am still here. And that means God has someone for me to love.

So today I am thankful for the reminder. I am thankful to be here. And I am thankful for each of you.

What about you? What are feeling especially thankful for this week?

love, elizabeth

Adventures in Domesticity: Thanksgiving Part Two

So the holiday is drawing nigh (NINE days and counting...), I thought I'd share with you all I need to accomplish BEFORE I start basting the turkey!

So here you are. My To-Do List (all to be completed before Thanksgiving Day):

-Finish and turn in my paper for Theatre Criticism - I'm using Euripides' texts, Helen, Hecuba, Andromache, Trojan Women, and The Suppliants to discuss Plato and Aristotle's views on the depiction and imitation of violence, specifically focusing on sexual violence. Cheery little paper just perfect for the holidays!

-Catch up on all my grading - if you even KNEW how many hours of grading papers I had ahead of me...well, you'd cry.

-Shampoo all the carpets - This is all Madigan's fault. But the carpets need to be cleaned and I want it done BEFORE Emily and Jeremy come for the weekend! I've already found a nearby Rug Doctor rental place so this one should be easy.

-Clean out my inbox - I hate this one. I think, at this point, I'd probably pay someone else to wade through the countless spam, student emails, announcements, newsfeeds, and special offers.

-Finishing transcribing the interviews conducted for my master's thesis - In THEORY, this one should be cake. I mean, I'm just typing what someone else is saying on my digital recorder. It's not like I have to think up anything clever to write. But trying to do this precisely and clearly is actually going to be a lot of work.

-Plus my homework - still have two more reading assignments and written reports due for Theatre Criticism.

-See Aida - this one is not really a chore since it's a wonderful musical and stars many of my fellow graduate students BUT it is going to require time. I'm hoping it's a celebratory evening at the theatre instead of a frantic dash to find a parking spot downtown and thinking all the while, WHY didn't you get your homework done SOONER? By the way, if you're in Columbus, and don't have tickets...well, they're probably almost sold out by now but if you're interested, here's the link:

http://www.capa.com/presentations/current-season-presentations/aida

-Give Madigan a bath - We're keeping her coat longer for the winter but it seems to mean she gets dirty faster. Oh, well. I actually enjoy blow-drying her fur.

Everybody, I'd like you to meet pre-Thanksgiving me...



Credit goes to whoever originally captured and edited this image. This picture popped up all over Google but I can't seem to trace it to its origin. If you happen to know it, let me know!