The First 3 Things I Did To Get Myself Back On Track

I participated in an Ambassador program on behalf of Influence Central for Pernix Therapeutics. I received a promotional item to thank me for my participation.

It feels really good to get myself back on track again! Seriously, my organization skills are on-point and I’ve had plenty of focus to get a ton of stuff done! A TON! Getting back on track has been my biggest goal the last few months because I was on a serious state of confusion from many personal factors (some of which I’ve shared on my blog recently). Interestingly, my “word of the year” is purposeful. That everything I do needed to have a rhyme and reason, or a strategy that worked towards a bigger goal – which was to fight the good fight.

If I was going to practice what I preached, I needed to be PURPOSEFUL with getting back on track by creating a plan that would get me moving and back on my feet again with life. The plan was meant to create positive habits. Because those types of habits that took years to build were literally out the door within a matter of months.

I knew I needed to keep this plan of attack short and simple, because no one knew me better than myself. Too many words overwhelm me and I lose interest and fail immediately. Here’s what I came up with (don’t laugh, because it’s REALLY short):

1. Make a conscious effort to eat healthier.

2. Clean your house, your purse, and your car.

3. Get enough sleep (8 hours minimum).

Yup, there you have it. The secret to success in life involved starting with these three things.

Let’s do a quick deep dive, shall we?

Make a conscious effort to eat healthier.
Why? Because the bad, processed junk food you put in your body affects your mood, focus, and metabolism. Why not open that MyFitnessPal app and log the types of food I eat for a week? Ouch. The results were pretty sad. From cheeseburgers and french fries to sodas and lemon bars — no wonder I was overly tired and lazy. I was conscious, all right.

The result: Once I made the switch to lean proteins, low carbohydrates, low sugar, and lots of leafy green veggies, my body started changing (literally) and my energy and metabolism levels skyrocketed. I did get the headaches from lack of sugar and caffeine but I knew that was temporary.

Clean your house, your purse, and your car.
Why? Because I knew once I started cleaning these three things, I was forced to organize each area. Because that part of me that made an effort to being purposeful created a strategy for cleaning that included organizing. GAH! I tricked myself and it was GOOD!

The result: As I started cleaning each area, I took the time to organize it too (which only took a few extra minutes – way less time than I thought it would). I carved out specific dates and times to do each area and although it took a few weeks to do it, my home is clean and organized! Oh, and my sanity is back and I know where to find everything again. A clean overall environment creates better clarity and focus.

Get enough sleep.
Why? We’ve discussed this many times! There are SO MANY benefits that empower and can literally transform us. It’s the power of rest and regeneration. It’s required, not optional and sleeplessness is a serious widespread issue (4 million American suffer from chronic insomnia, including difficulty falling asleep and the inability to stay asleep throughout the night). Yikes.

My past experiences trying to launch this oh-so-amazing blog, working full-time, and raising my beautiful children meant 4 hours of sleep a night for MANY nights and that caused so many health issues on my body (including weight gain and lack of focus). More than half of Americans believe sleeplessness is glamorized – and that successful people who boast of needing less sleep – do so to express their “importance.” I was part of that statistic, unfortunately. I became burned out, grumpy, angry, and almost delusional. Also, it was sucking the beauty out of me! Nobody likes dark, baggy circles under their eyes and acne! If I had learned then what I know now about the benefits of sleep, I would have made it a priority in my life. And apparently I’m not the only one who isn’t getting the “a good night’s sleep required” memo! On average, nearly three-quarters of Americans (72%) are missing out on almost three weeks of sleep per year (470 hours).

The result: I wake up happier, less groggy, and refreshed. I have more focus, more clarity, and I think and brainstorm better when I’m not half-asleep, because uninterrupted sleep is critical for our immune function, memory and other vital functions that keep our body going. Now I make an effort to plan around getting an uninterrupted night of sleep to enjoy the benefits of really living life in the present! It feels really good!

The good news is that there are effective treatment options available for those suffering with insomnia. If you have trouble sleeping through the night, you should have a conversation with your doctor about your routine, lifestyle and symptoms. To learn more about the importance of getting a full, uninterrupted night’s sleep visit Wanttosleepmore.com