Check In Time!

 We check in for a lot of different reasons and with a lot of different people. We check in for the reservations made at the restaurants and hotels. We check in at the airport to board our flight on time. We check in when we arrive at work and appointments. We check in on social media as we see shout-outs being posted. We want to show up and be on time (that's the goal, right?!!). We want to make our presence known and not miss out on anything. We do not want to miss out on the meal, vacation, giveaway or paycheck. But what about us? Have we showed up for us? Have we checked on us lately? Have we checked on how we are really doing? In all the checking in we do, we have to make sure to check in on us. While we take care of responsibilities, tasks, and others, we can't forget about us. We need to be at our best to take care of what we need to. Checking in with ourselves requires that we do a self-exam. It requires us to check our overall well-being. We need to be alert and present to what is going on with us. We need to check our physical body. Are there any aches or pains we are experiencing? Are they any visible or subtle signs on our body that need to be checked more closely by a medical professional? It is important that we get our check ups and routines at the doctor's. Back in June, I had my routine check up at my doctor's office. While there, I got blood work taken and my tetanus shot (I wasn't expecting the shot at all, but I needed it updated, so I went ahead and got it!). Everything came back good with my blood work- Praise God! It could have been different though. We just never know and need to get those check ups. Then, there is checking our thoughts. What are we thinking about? Are our thoughts draining us or uplifting us? Do our thoughts dwell on comparison to everyone else or are we content on what we have been given? Stop and be mindful of what you're thinking. When we have negative thoughts, we have to turn them into positive and hopeful thoughts. Is it always easy? No, but it is possible and something that has to be done on a daily basis. Next, we have to check with ourselves at the present moment. I know I have said this in a previous blog post, but perhaps we need a reminder. We have to be present in the moment and not days and months ahead in our mind. Are we giving today all we have? Is the present day and moments getting our attention? Don't worry if you're the one always ahead- you are not by yourself! I am constantly working on this too. Once we check in with ourselves, we can then check in with others. As we look at our current relationships, are we fully present? How are we doing with checking in with the people in our family and circle? A text, email, call, or visit (if you're able) to say hello goes a long way. For those who use social media or Zoom, a video chat is now possible, which I also really like as it gives a sense of that face to face interaction and a change from messaging. With my Mom and Dad both being gone, I have learned to appreciate the family check-ins even more. If I don't get to them first, some will definitely check in with me first and I'm so grateful for that! Recently, I have been seeing and reading a lot of devotionals and videos that have all been shouting out the same message. The message has been loud and clear: Slow down! It's okay to pause. Take a break. Take care of you. These messages are definitely for me and I hope they speak to you also! Achieving our goals is good, but we need to be rested to accomplish them. In particular, what has stood out to me in my reading time about checking in with ourselves is to make sure we get enough sleep, drink plenty of water, exercise, get outside, connect with people and know when to take breaks. I would like to add to the list to not scroll social media as much and have less screen time. First of all, our physical eyes need a break from the electronic screen. Second, there is so much content that can be soaked up. Some is good and some is bad. The wrong content can drain us and feed thoughts of self-doubt, comparison, jealousy and envy if we are not careful. It can be time consuming scrolling on social media too!! I'm working on this because it is tempting to click that app quick on my phone to get to social media! Something I have to found to work for that is to put my phone in a totally different room in the house. I got a new phone recently and I love that it gives me a weekly report on my digital wellbeing. I can see what apps I am spending time on and how much time I'm spending on them. It's another form of check-in for me! As we can see, opportunities for check-in are all around us! One of my sister cousins says it best and reminds me all the time to be kind to myself. Checking in shows we are being kind to ourselves. So let's remember to take care of ourselves. When we check in with ourselves, we can check in with others. If you haven't checked in with yourself lately, now is a great time to start!