Daily Blog Day 23 -- It's not a nuisance, it's an opportunity

Boy oh boy today is gonna be a great day. After I finish this post I'll have my first meal in over 36 hours! Sunday I decided on somewhat of a whim to partake in this extended water-only fast after eating a delicious bowl of homemade mushroom chili around 4pm. After that, I had a clementine at around 6pm and a few cough drops since then. I won't pretend to know the science behind fasting and I'm not gonna get into it with this post as I have with other topics. All I know is that that it can be quite beneficial in many ways and I think its an interesting exercise in self-regulation and an opportunity for reflection. This time was very similar to what I discussed Sunday night -- at times throughout the day I felt hungry, tired, and lacked focus but these feelings would subside and improve. One bonus that I appreciated was no
t having to make any food or bring a lunch to campus... it sounds silly but I spend a considerable amount of time planning and preparing meals so it was to have my cognitive load reduced a little. 

All of that segues (I never knew it was spelled like that) into a related idea I wanted to quickly share with y'all. I feel like there's a better way to explain it than how I phrased the title, but that's what I'm going with for now. With a hefty and intimidating workload in front of me, I've been pushing to just get the stuff done and move on to the next thing. Even these blogs have felt like a hassle that I should complete as efficiently as possible so I can check it off the to-do list. In shifting my mindset to view all these things (blogging, final papers, projects, fundraisers, meetings, exercise, meditation, etc.) as opportunities to learn, have fun, and grow (what they really are!), I can enjoy them a lot more. More enjoyment leads to better performance which leads back to even more enjoyment and if all goes well, the cycle continues! As with many things I talk about, despite its simplicity, this is easier said than done. All it takes is a little momentum and you're on your way, so push through the initial discomfort and reap the benefits :)

Time to eat!  

🌱

The chili came from this masterpiece 😍