pacing

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Step 1: Schedule a Time

Like anything, preparing takes some time and thought.  Start today by looking at your schedule and deciding on a time you will be able to prioritize your emergency preparedness.  If you have no preference, choose Monday morning or Monday evening.  (I’ve found that if you want something done, Monday is a winner).  Do not become overwhelmed.  It does not even require an hour.  Plan at least 20 minutes to do SOMETHING each week on your preparedness.  Even if you only think about it, those thoughts will eventually lead to action. 

If you are too busy one week, just come back to it.  Don’t let an immediate need go neglected because of your plan, but don’t let your plan always be neglected, either.   Just keep coming back to it.  If you do your plan even 80% of the time you will move mountains a teaspoon at a time.  But, if you find it is almost never happening, reschedule:  pick a different day or decide on which activities you can and will sacrifice to make this path of peace a priority.    

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It’s a marathon, not a sprint.

Preparing to prepare is a little like preparing to be a distance runner.  You have to want to prepare.  You have to know why you are doing it and why it is worth the sacrifice of time and resources.  You have to schedule a time to do it.  You have to budget some money for it.  And, you have to DO your plan.  All of this takes time.  Be patient with yourself.  New athletes or people trying to lose weight often fall, crash and burn on the very same hurdle:  Too Much Too Soon.  Take small steps.  This is a lifestyle change.  Work it in to your priorities and your way of life.  Make a spot in your schedule.  Take it easy on yourself.  Small consistent steps will get you and keep you places where short, exhausting bursts never can.  That is the purpose of this site:  to provide support for you while you become a person who is and continues to be peacefully prepared. 

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The Losin’ it list : Major melt-down prevention

A time-lapse animation of icecubes melting in ...

A time-lapse animation of icecubes melting in a glass (50 minutes). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I, and two other friends I know and probably others, have been teetering on the edge of losing it.

I realized recently that when I get overloaded or overdo it, I have definite signals that I’m moving into the red zone.  I should really write those down.  I got started and amazed myself–two small pages long of all the things I do that are unlike myself and should be very strong clues to

A)  Get Help

B)  Get more rest

C)  Stop doing some things for a while

D) Take better care of my physical health

E)  All of the above

Sometimes the treadmill is going so fast that I feel I can’t ask for help.  That would be a disaster just like stopping the pace to get some water without stepping off the belt.  It wouldn’t help, it would  just lead to a crash.  But, not asking for help soon enough can end us up in the same spot anyway–crashed in a heap.

We all know that we should not do too much or too little.  But, how do we know when we are being too self-indugent and lazy or too self-sacrifizing and crazy???

I’m not sure about the first limit.  Today I’m just trying to prevent crazy.

For one of my friends it is yelling.  Yelling is on my Losin’ it list, too.  Believe it or not, I usually do NOT yell.  So, when I start to do it regularly, I might start to get a clue that I need to start looking in the mirror and caring better for myself.

I’m sure the losin’ it list would be person specific for everyone.

For instance, I hate to waste food.  I really love to use my left overs in some creative way to be sure it doesn’t end up going down the drain.  But this last week I had to throw away lettuce, bread, a ton of left overs, etc.  This is a major clue that my life speed is not matching up to my optimal pace.

We ate too much junk food, fast food, frozen food and snack food.

I spent too much money on all that easy, unhealthy food.

Hotels and Mental hospitals look strangely enticing

I want to sit around and watch TV (I normally do not enjoy watching TV by myself)

I miss my pilates class especially more than once (I love pilates and I never miss)

I waste time through confusion, lack of planning, distraction or fatigue

I am not writing anything (even on busy days I am usually list making or keeping up my 5 year journal)

I am not talking to anyone or visiting anyone (I love to look out for people)

or I am talking my head off too much about my situation or my problems (I’m sure it is tiring to hear)

The mess in my house is driving me absolutely nuts and I wish Monk lived at my house.  His level of order and organization looks REALLY REFRESHING

Sitting or laying down sounds way better to me than moving (when usually sitting still for too long is a punishment to me)

Listening and concentrating is difficult

I am angry or very sad or very frustrated or very WHATEVER

This is my list.  The challenge, then, is to recognize it and try to delegate or get help before I really have to find that hospital or join Monk in his ritual cleaning.

The other challenge is not to compare myself to others.  I know sometimes I can handle way more than other times.  It is hard to accept, but I guess if my goal is to keep the peace (especially inner peace) I need to be a friend to myself.

I really want to be helpful and useful to the world.  How can I do that very well in a major melt-down?  I guess I will have to recognize the danger signals and act sooner to prevent overload or explosion.

© 2012 DarEll S. Hoskisson (dsh)