I am so glad it’s a new month. It’s a chance to redo everything. We get to change our minds, plans, or even our address if that’s what’s on the agenda. A new month is a fresh start to get back on track, and boy, do I need to get back on track.

Our bodies tell us when we’ve gotten off track. I’ve been sick these last few days with a horrible stomach flu, the worst sickness I could remember, mostly from terrible pain in my abdomen. Said the doctor, “It’s going around.” That’s why I missed the Sunday blog. I was not well at all. I wanted to stay in bed all day, and for me to want to do that, there must be something really wrong.

It got me thinking as I’m healing that we need to listen to our bodies, and I know before getting sick, I was feeling burned out, tired, and run down. I let the train take off and tried to keep up, but it took off without me! It was all about other things and people, not me.

So, this month, I’m doing a redo (as we all could do) to regain the balance back.

The best way to figure out a new plan is to know what you need. For me, I need to write and have that time to create. If I don’t create, I get into a funk. I’d change “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” to “All work and no play makes Francesca very sad.”

I don’t see writing as work. It’s who I am and what keeps me sane and happy.  Take away that, and I’m a mess. I feel like my books are droplets of my soul, and when I look into the filing drawer where I keep most of them (half done), I get so sad, knowing I leave myself behind each time I close the door and do something else. I have my finished novel on my desk in a binder that needs editing. I see it each time I sit at my desk, but I don’t allow the time to work on it – other things take precedence. I look at it now, and tears well in my eyes. What happened that I keep allowing myself to leave myself behind?

Well, this month, that changes! Today is the day I get to make those changes, and the first thing I’m doing is writing this! And it feels terrific!

Here are some simple ways to do a monthly RE DO to regain control of our lives:

1. Use the first of every month to check in with yourself and see what’s working well and making you happy and what’s not working. When you figure out what’s not working, write down a goal to change it.

 

1. Once you have that goal, write a few steps on how to make it happen. (Don’t overwhelm yourself by making things complicated.) So, for example, if you want to lose ten pounds, the goal would be “I wish to be _____ pounds by November 30th.”  The steps would be “Exercise daily for 20 minutes and eat less food.” Simple but effective. Oh, and I learned that if you want to lose weight, you should write out the weight you want, not the amount you’d like to lose. I guess it helps to focus on the goal positively. I’m doing it. Let’s see if it works. I’ll let you know in the future.

 

1. Then, once you have the plan, incorporate it into a planner, on your phone, sticky notes, or whatever works for you to see it daily to keep you on track. This is where I stumble because I write it down in a paper planner, but I don’t look at it daily. What’s the point right? That’s on my RE DO plan–to actually look at the plan! Haha

 

1. Give yourself grace. If you don’t adhere to the plan because something came up (don’t make it a habit like me), it’s okay. Get back to the plan the following day.

 

1. Acknowledge your success. Small successes beget big successes. So, if you dropped a pound and wanted it to be two, still give yourself a lot of credit for being disciplined to lose weight! We are often so hard on ourselves. It’s time we learn to be good to ourselves. If your friend lost a pound and struggled to lose weight, you’d be supportive and kind – telling them, “That’s great – keep it up!” But we beat ourselves up by thinking, “Not good enough.” No, my dear friends, it’s good enough. It’s what we can do now; we’re all doing our best. The more we acknowledge ourselves positively, the more we’ll achieve those successes.

I hope this helps anyone who wants a happier life. I struggle to achieve that, but I’ll never give up because I know it’s possible. We are all in this together, and I hope my ideas make a difference. Please let me know in a comment if this is something you can relate to and if it helps! I’d love to know.

To a redo,

Francesca