It’s easy to get caught up in our day to day schedules, and before we know it, a few days, weeks, or even months have gone by and we have fallen out of our self-care or wellness routine.
We turn around and realize we haven’t gotten our bodies moving, we’ve stopped meditating, we aren’t writing in our gratitude journal at night, haven’t been drinking enough water, are not getting enough sleep, or whatever it is that we do regularly to help our body function at its best.
Typically, when this happens our body starts sending us messages that it is out of balance. We may start to feel tired or the 3 pm energy crash hits, our digestion may be off, or we find ourselves irritable and moody. Our body is bringing this to our attention and helping us refocus and recalibrate.
Especially during periods with busy schedules or stressful times, it can feel overwhelming to restart doing too many things all at once. What if we committed to doing one thing, that is non-negotiable, this week? I call it my non-negotiable(s). Something I commit to that helps me keep it on top of my priority list.
I find it helpful to set my non-negotiables on Sundays. I take a look at what’s going on in the upcoming week and how I am feeling in the moment and come up with at least one non-negotiable that I commit to doing every day, something just for me. I ask for help if needed to be sure I am able to do it. That way I am moving forward, nourishing my body and health, and it also feels like I can be successful sticking with my intentions.
My non-negotiable for the last several months is a 30-45-minute walk by myself each night. If you follow along with me on Instagram @melaniesnyder, you will see lots of palm tree photos in my stories as I capture the view on my walks. My husband and I have worked out a good routine to be sure I can carve out this time. It helps me decompress from the day, have a break, get my body moving, and reduce stress. I have been listening to audiobooks and podcasts while I walk and it’s something I look forward to. It’s a small slice of time, but when I am regularly walking, I feel so much better overall.
What non-negotiable will you set for yourself this week?
Here are some examples to get you started.
This week, I will…
- Prioritize getting 8 hours of sleep every night
- Go for a 30-45-minute walk by myself each day
- Drink more water
- Eat more greens and vegetables
- Turn my phone off at 9pm each night
- Write three things I am grateful for in my journal before I go to bed every night
- Wake up 15-30 minutes before everyone else in my house to ________ (Meditate, stretch, take a hot shower…)
What did you choose?
Take a minute to check-in with how you are feeling at both the beginning of the week and at the end. Notice your mood, how your body feels, your energy level, and your digestion. What changes do you notice at the end of the week after completing your non-negotiable(s)?
Small steps equal big changes. Practice setting a new non-negotiable each week. You got this!
Do you love crossing things off a to-do list as much as I do?
If so, click on the link below to download a free checklist you can print out to capture your progress completing your non-negotiable(s) for the week. Print it out, complete it on Sundays to set your intention for the week, and hang it up where you will see it daily. There is also space on the handout to capture how you feel at the beginning of the week and again at the end of the week after committing to your non-negotiable(s). What changes do you notice in yourself?
Are you finding this free guide helpful? Be sure to tag @melaniesnyder on Instagram and hashtag it #mynonnegotiables
