I had super duper plans tonight, and I cancelled them. I was feeling anxious about a work project, and I realized that if I had kept my plans, I would have remained anxious, and in all likelihood been super weird and tense and all up in my head. And that’s not how I want to be – especially around other people. I want to be cool, and fun, and laidback, and today I was absolutely NONE of those things until I took a solid self-care break.

And today’s self-care looked like:

• Having the uncomfortable conversation about cancelling plans WITH the person I had said plans with.
• Getting my work project to a solid stopping point in preparation for a client meeting tomorrow. I feel very good about the design I created, and the 42 loose ends I tied up.
• Talking with a friend.
• Unpacking my new standup paddle board in preparation for launch.
• Going down to the lake, realizing it was pretty choppy, and going for a swim instead.
• Picking up a 5 gallon bucket of trash from the beach.
• Grocery shopping instead of going to the bar.
• Making myself dinner.
• Showering. Including washing my hair.
• Sitting down to Good Omens Season 2 with pistachio ice cream.
• Going to bed early.

Usually one or two of these acts of self-kindness does the trick, and allows me to shift my mindset. Today, I needed a bit more, and I am glad I was able to see that before I crashed.