What Day Is It?

My beautiful music therapy room - I'm ready to use it!

I think it will be a regular day today. I'm saying that with a bit of hesitation since the magic hour of 6am has not arrived yet, but I don't think that we will have to have an inclement weather schedule day today. I'm really hoping that we do not.

So, in the past week (as we have had THREE inclement weather days - I attended two of them), my office has become more of a cesspool than usual. There are boxes of things for the store that need to be labeled and repackaged to fit the storage that I have available for me. There are projects to go through. There are things to make, things to toss, things to bring home, and things that just don't need to be there. I have facilitated 17 groups in the past two days - usually I do 10 groups in two days (and my interns do most of those groups these days, so I oversee 10 groups in two days). There is a certain level of exhaustion from being in the spotlight all the time.

I am hoping that there will be sunny skies and a decided lack of precipitation for the rest of the month. I am finished with inclement weather days for this year, but it isn't the middle of February yet so I'm not holding my breath.

MJ, it is time for an attitude reset.

(This is my strategy for this type of attitude and my resetting process - feel free to use it if it works for you, but don't stress if it doesn't work. Everyone has to find their own way into self-care and attitude adjustments.)

Okay, MJ. The weather is lousy. There is more ice on the ground than not. The days are overcast, but you know that Spring is coming. THE GROUNDHOG SAID IT WAS SO! This interruption of our schedule will not happen forever.

Breathe.

Okay, MJ. Your addiction to "stuff" has hit critical mass. You have to do something about this (and, no, moving to a bigger place is NOT the solution!) and it will be a long task, but think about how nice things will be when they are clear of extraneous stuff. Take one step forward - find something that you don't need around you and get rid of it!

Breathe.

Okay, MJ. You've gotten out of the habit of using your journal for processing feelings and ideas. It needs to happen as part of your self-care program. Sit down today and write a bit in your journal. Take some time to sit in a window and watch what happens outside. This is something that will help with all the other situations and concerns later on. Take some time to process.

Breathe.

Okay, MJ. In the long range scheme of things, your life is not bad. You have a good job, enough to do what you want to do, and enough to complain about that you will never be completely unhappy. As one of my former interns used to say, "Put your big girl panties on, and get over it!"

Breathe.

I'm feeling sorry for myself and have been wallowing in it lately. I've found it important to wallow a bit before changing what is happening on the inside. I'm over my wallowing now, and I am ready to start making things better for myself. It is time.

Inclement weather days happen, and my attitude will make the difference between being cranky or being ready to be the best therapist that I can be. It is time to check the inclement weather day list again - still not one for me. That will make me a bit happier as I leave my house in about an hour for a regular schedule day.

Attitude counts, and mine has been pretty lousy lately. I am going to spend some time on this and find my bliss again. Self-care is more than spa trips and vacations - it is also acknowledging what is happening in the world and in my world and then working with and through those things. I'm going to take some small steps today - journaling, throwing out something that is not necessary, and doing music therapy in my regular schedule - finally!

First step? Publishing this post. Second step? Eating some breakfast. Third step? Heading out into the world.

Attitude adjustment starting in 3...2...1...