Being Mindfully Present to My Needs

Yesterday my beloved 13 year old Border Collie, Bella had an operation to remove a 9 cm stainless steel plate from her rear leg. She's had it since she was 9, but the screws holding it in place were causing an infection.

This was a big decision for us because we were concerned that:
- removing the steel plate might mean she'd no longer be able to walk
- being 13 she might not recover well from the surgery

We weighed this up compared to her having an uncomfortable infection for possibly the rest of her life - and took a chance.

The surgery was a success but (as to be expected) her first night home was unsettled. None of us had a good night sleep and we are all exhausted today. Given I'm on doggy home care duty for the next couple of weeks, I'm mindful of conserving my energy levels.

So this week - while I have a work deadline I’m working towards - I'm being a dedicated dog mum: being mindful of her needs and discomfort levels and NOT sitting for long periods on the computer.

Daily sun time on the grass and snuggle time on the day bed for both of us is definitely on the cards.

Aaaaand I'm going to focus on doing things (work and home) that keep my joy levels up rather than pushing to get things done that are going to leave me depleted.

WHAT ABOUT YOU? Maybe you can relate to having to juggle work pressures and home commitments. Often when we get an added emotional and time pressure that we didn't plan for - we don’t consider the effect it will have on us. Even though we might feel even more run down, or more emotionally vulnerable, we push through and add extra pressure.

You might have a sick child at home, someone close might have had an accident, you might be going through a difficult relationship problem (at work or home), you might have a work deadline issue… anything that adds to your daily pressures. What are you doing to keep yourself recharged and keep your joy meter level up while you keep showing up and doing what you need to?

What is your focus for the week? How are you remembering to keep your joy levels up?
#work #energy #stress #wellbeing #resilience #mindfulness