(What I Need)

Through social media, ads, and the internet and media in general, hundreds of things or ways that you “should be” are thrown at you each day. Things you need, emotions you “should” have, items and/or products you would be better off purchasing, “sides” you should be taking…it’s a constant web of ideas, suggestions, and stories. 

Smart phones have offered advantages such as better means of communication, improved business efficiency, and enhanced emergency services and news distribution.  On the contrary, they have also led to feelings of being more disconnected when spending time with family and friends, caused concentration and learning issues, and have contributed to lower physical activity and higher mental health conditions (Journal of Mental Health and Clinical Psychology).

With the constant availability of information, stimulation, and “abstract” connection, you tend to lose sight of what your body and mind actually need to be healthy and well. Your needs tend to go more unnoticed and get pushed to the side. 

How do we stop this cycle?  I would suggest this – creating a W.I.N. Chart.  Often used in classroom settings for projects, why not use them for everyday living, especially when being mindful of your emotions.  I am providing you with a graphical chart to help you:

• Pause
• Identify what you need
• Evaluate the level you feel each need/emotion impacting you
• Identify actions to take
• Notice outcomes after doing the activity/actions you decide on
• Re-evaluating your level after. 

I picture it looking somewhat like this:

W.I.N. Chart (What I Need)

What I Need	Action	1-10 Eval	Outcome	1-10 Re-Eval	Notes (optional)

Chart Key:

What I Need = Pause and breathe. Take a minute (with no distractions or outside stimulation) to notice what your body and mind need at the moment.

Action = What you’re going to do to help get you where you want to be (relevant to the need)

1-10 Eval = Offer a true assessment and rating on the impact the lack of meeting this need is having on your body and mind at the moment (1 = not at all;  10 = a lot)

Outcome = Did the action work? How do you feel at the end of the hour, day, week, or whatever period of time you opted to give yourself?

1-10 Re-Eval = A true assessment of how you feel after the action/activity has happened and where you are on the chart of impact now (1 = not at all affected; 10 = greatly affected)

Notes = anything you would like to note or jot down from the need, action, evaluation, and outcome

EXAMPLE:

What I Need	Action	1-10 Eval	Outcome	1-10 Re-Eval	Notes (optional)
Motivation	Mindfulness Exercises	8	After daily mindfulness exercises focusing on motivation, I feel energized and more apt to get things done	4	I gave myself a week of daily actions/activities and then took a day (while feeling at my best) to get projects done that I have put off for months
Stress Reduction	Breathing Exercises and Yoga Sessions	9	During my session, things started to feel worse …and then I was able to settle in to my breathwork and into each action (vs just going through the motions). Once I could do this, I could feel my stress levels start to decline (my headache went away and my belly stopped grumbling)	2	I feel the outcome was better with a combination of both actions (breathing and stretching).  This was after one session…and I think I would benefit from doing this daily – at least taking a few minutes to breathe deeply and effectively.

Message or email me if you would like a printout of such a chart.  I would be happy to provide you with a template. 

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