My Intent
Hey family!
Cheers to giving you even more reading in the middle of final exams! I’m very considerate, I know :)
Final exams this week have been kicking my ass. There’s been not a single thought behind my eyes for like 6 straight days, I’ve officially started hearing colors, and I’m pretty sure I’ve passed my energy drink maximum.
Ordinarily, I live a pretty structured life. The time of my workouts, classes, and even what I’m eating for dinner that week are decided ahead of time. And usually, this helps me stay organized in my day to day. Having that routine feels comfortable and safe for me, and the consistency doesn’t leave a lot of room for surprise stressors.
But the past few days have been the furthest from the structured, habitual lifestyle I usually prefer. To describe it as chaotic would actually be an understatement, and I was stressed and feeling incredibly out of balance since my regular routine was disturbed.
The good news is, times like this make great opportunities to practice what I preach. Here is a golden opportunity to practice being here in the present with myself, feel everything that I’m feeling, and listen to myself to know what I’m truly needing at the moment.
So even with the stress, fear, and pressure that surrounds final exams, I know that I can always make a conscious choice. It is my dominant intent every single day to do and seek out what makes me feel good. And inevitably, moving through my day to day with this intention attracts lot of good back to me.
There is no right or wrong to doing what is best for you. There is only you. So listen to what you are needing from yourself and give it to yourself graciously, regardless of whatever else is going on. Even in the heat of the moment, you can choose yourself. Even in situations that make you feel like your well-being should be last on the list of priorities, always, ALWAYS continue to choose yourself.
So even when it feels like I have no time to choose myself or give myself what I need, I make sure to:
Go for a walk, even though stress makes it seem like I have no time because I have to study
Get a short, intense lift in to release stress and get my blood flowing, even though my anxiety is telling me that I should have my face in a textbook
Show myself grace, forgiving myself for doing/eating things that are outside of my normal diet or habits
Keep up with my gratitude journal to feed my mind the kind of thoughts I wish to dominate my thinking
These are just the things that have helped me prioritize my well-being this week and keep my mind a safe space for myself, but as with everything else in these newsletters, I encourage you to make this (or create) your own!
Here’s one of my favorite quotes from Osho:
“Never ask anybody what is right and wrong. Life is an experiment to find out. Each individual has to be conscious, alert, and watchful, and experiment with life and find out what is good for him.”
Reflection Question of the week: What can you give yourself this week that you’ve been needing? How can you prioritize your well-being?
