CHALLENGE: 100 Days of Self-Care with Brianna
Written By: Brianna Arps
I once was a blogger... Many moons ago... When I was an undergrad at Mizzou.
For those who knew me then, you know The MouthingOff Blog (RIP) held ya girl down. As my own little corner of the World Wide Web, a "safe space" if you will, it offered the freedom to stay creative and opinionated, with and about stuff I loved — or hated.
From beauty hacks and closet staples to dating advice and wellness tips, I wrote posts that covered practically everything on a college kid's radar. But in secret, I mainly wrote for *one* person: myself — to fight off insecurities with a sense of purpose.
Eventually, I went on to graduate from journalism school and begin my career in New York City. The MouthingOff Blog folded soon after... Although! Part of me wishes I would have at least kept the site live to look back and laugh. There was DEFINITELY some foolishness on there. Lol!
The beauty of life is that we can always start over — and with this "100 Days of Self-Care" challenge I'm doing, there's no better time than now. Clichés aside, yes, I'll be blogging my experience right here.. The entire way through ... With full transparency. :)
Side Note: For Christmas, I bought my mom a cute little book that has daily prompts to follow. We decided to read and do them together. So, each of my entries will be guided. If you wanna join in or reply, by all means! Use #FlauntHowYouFeel or send a note to Brianna@MOODEAUX.com.
Wish me luck! xXBA
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1/1/2022 — "Goals, Goals, Goals"
Prompt #1 involves getting clear about my intentions for why I've identified certain goals and the steps needed to achieve them. Cue anxiety.
What seems like a rather simple, straightforward task is actually pretty intimidating for me. Historically, I've fixated on these types of things so long to come up with the "right" answer I often forget it's perfectly okay to 1) make mistakes and 2) change my mind.
But! Today's a brand new day, the start of a whole new year and I'm excited about my future. *woosah*
I guess, before anything, I know I'm worthy of living a fulfilling and balanced life. My intentions are really rooted in that. Goal-wise, this means:
Long-term: Finding peace with my journey...
Short-term: By practicing gratitude.
*Long-term: Strengthening family bonds...
*Short-term: By reserving ample face-to-face time for those I love.
Long-term: Establishing MOODEAUX's legacy...
Short-term: By serving like-minded people.
Long-term: Creating financial security.
Short-term: By limiting impulse buys/mindfully saving.
Long-term: Maintaining my health and wellness.
Short-term: By getting active, eating (way) better, sleeping more and resuming therapy.
Of course the above could be fleshed out a bit; however, for the sake of those reading (Hi, you!), I'll spare the nitty-gritty.
Lastly, in case you're wondering, Goal #2 has an asterisk by it in memory of my late grandfather, Mr. Roy Lee Brown. I've written about RLB a few times already — partly to cope, partly to keep his name alive. I never wanna feel like I've left him behind, no matter how much time passes.
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1/2/2022 — "I Am"
Prompt #2 is a grounding exercise complete with a new affirmation/mantra to repeat throughout the day.
"I am a vessel of strength, joy and resiliency. I fill up myself daily so that I can serve myself and my people in the way in which I was created. Like a cocooned butterfly, I am growing and changing in the most beautiful ways."
Usually, I'm not one to sit still for long — unless it involves getting work done at my computer or whatnot. So, this was nice! Especially on the Sunday before the first full week of 2022, LAWD.
When I think about it, centering myself and remaining present is a goal in and within itself. Maybe, rather than scrolling Insta, I should try doing some version of this at bedtime instead??? We'll see.
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1/3/2022 — "Your Appointment"
Prompt #3 tackles a task I've been putting off forever: scheduling my doctor's appointments. Shamefully so, I'm (beyond) due to see my primary physician, OB-GYN, dentist and eye doc. Since relocating cities years ago — from St. Louis to NYC to ??? — keeping up with visit deadlines has been hit or miss.
Every time I sit down to find an office that's within network, I either get frustrated by the lack of options or lack of availability. But "health is wealth" — I know, I know, so today I'm making it a priority to get back on track.
Seeing a therapist, in person, is another thing I wanna do this year! Therapy online just doesn't hit the same, although it's better than nothing.
Aside from booking appointments, I've also recommitted myself to eating better and getting active. For me, that looks like:
Less takeout, more at-home cooking. Which includes not waiting until my stomach's begging for food to eat.
Less coffee/tea/fruit juice, more water. I'm pretty good at this already, but I def have my off days.
Less binge-watching TV, more stair climbing. There's a whole apartment gym I've yet to step foot in since moving.
Less talking about it, more time researching an adult soccer league to join. COVID-19 willing, sigh.
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1/4/2022 — "A New Perspective"
Prompt #4 reminds readers how easy it is to get stuck in a rut or to zone out on autopilot and asks us to try something new.
My mom, who's doing this 100 days challenge with me, took a different way to work. Since I work from home, which can feel isolating at time, I decided to switch up my station and set up camp (safely) at a coffee shop.
A good *friend of mine joined to help set the vibes, and it was cool! Together, we took a few breaks in between calls/emails to share life updates, chat goals and really just bond like before COVID.
Manifesting lots of meet-ups like today.
*If you needed a reminder, call or go visit your friends — don't just text them. Life's too short not to spend time and let folks how much you appreciate their presence.
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1/5/2022 — "Media-Less Morning"
Yikes, Prompt #5 was a no-go. I can't even say "I tried" for real because, at this point, my phone is practically attached to my palm. I'm always online. It's scary LOL.
But I do realize I should be making more attempts to slow down, at least resisting the urge to tap, tap, tap and scroll, scroll, scroll first thing after opening my eyes.
Boundaries. We often talk about setting them with others; however, it's important to set them with ourselves too.
To be real, I'd much rather spend my early mornings meditating, eating breakfast and getting dressed in actual clothes instead of feeling pressured to start the day at full speed.
Does this mean going to bed a few hours earlier to have the energy for all this? Probably. Am I up for it? Yep!
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1/6/2022 — "Hydration"
Prompt #6 is right up my alley. It's already a big goal of mine to drink more water, so I've got this one in the bag.
If you're like me and don't measure your intake by actual 8 oz. cups, consider investing in a tall, reusable glass bottle that's 1) chic enough to share desk space and 2) convenient enough to pack and take with you.
Over the years, I've collected a few of these ones from a company that also sells interchangeable bottle "sleeves," caps with lip balm compartments, and lids with holes for straws. Check 'em out. You might even catch a sale or discount.
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1/7/2022 — "Reflection"
Prompt #7 doesn't have an action item tied to it, but rather a quote to read and reflect upon:
"Every day, each of us is faced with the possibility of resetting our lives. Refocusing. Reimagining. Rebooting. Every day, we can decide to change our outlook, our words, our tone and our attitude." — Maria Shriver
Timely and intentional, indeed, since today marks the end of the first week in 2022. I'm really excited for my future. In a world led by trends, it's always nice to read/hear I'm in control. And that it's my responsibility to take charge of seeing every goal to fruition. I can do it, I will do it.
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