Top Ten Tuesday

I've really started to pay attention to my body lately. Not in a hyper-vigilant-am-I-unattractive type of way; more of a listen-to-what your-body-is telling-you-self-care-type-of-way. I need to be more carefree (don't read careless.) I hold myself hostage and I'm my own drill sargent-- daily. Dude, I need to relax.

Below are 10 things I began doing over the past 6 (or so) months to take care of me. I still have a long way to go, baby, but I'm working on it and I am already seeing the benefits.

**Editorial comment: I am what I am; I know that. I will never be completely unstructured or "laid-back"-- I'm not built like that. BUT, I can stop trying to control every small detail of every little thing. I need to let go while still being the Jessi I know and love (Detail-oriented or not, I do like who I am).

1. I just started seeing a chiropractor. I am seeing him 2X per week (until he gets me adjusted.) Let me just say: WHAT A DIFFERENCE- mentally and physically!)

2. It seems, somewhere over the past 4 months, I have become a regular the the nail salon getting pedicures. I would occasionally get them here or there but, I love the look of pretty toes and it's a fairly inexpensive way to treat myself to something nice every three-or-so weeks. (Plus, I never have to paint them, cut them, or maintain them in any way.)

3. I am making a concerted effort to break up my day by taking the boys for a LONG walk in the morning, walking or going outside during a break at work, and then walking again when I get home. It helps me to decompress.

4. I, Jessica Molloy, no longer text and drive. I stopped doing it at the beginning of the year (it was one of my New Year's resolutions.)

5. I am now an official American Red Cross volunteer. Friday July 2nd was my first "shift" I did registration for 5 hours and didn't get paid a penny. It felt great!

6. I started taking more time off from work (!!!!!) I have to let go at some point and it feels so good to just spontaneously take a day or two here and there. Granted, I still have to force myself to leave at night (work-a-holic) but I have been SO MUCH better lately and I even request time off!

7. I decided to take a Zumba class. I need to get more exercise so, in order to do that, I have to trick myself into thinking it's not really exercise.

8. Aaron and I acquired Rosetta Stone in Spanish and hope to learn another language together and use it on an upcoming vacation. I saw a picture of Baja (Mexico area) in a magazine the other day and now I want to go somewhere similar (I do dream of going to the Alamo- so maybe San Antonio?)

9. I fired my television. Yes we still have cable but, I watch less than 2 hours of boob-tube per week.

10. I am taking everything a little less seriously. (Okay, who are we kidding, I know I am a pretty serious person  BUT, I am learning to let more and more slide. Let there is be a dirty fork in the sink when I go to work (gasp) let the laundry pile up for 3 days instead of doing it every other day, let the weeds grow in the garden, go a week without vacuuming my car- who cares?) Now, this isn't all the time, I am still anal but I'm letting go a bit more than I used to- Give me some credit- I'm living on the edge with that dirty fork in the sink!

And I feel SO much better!