Navigating the Highs and Lows

Do you know that feeling where you do this big awesome thing and then feel a huge letdown afterward?

My friend, another Tamara, recently took an EPIC trip to Scotland but was sad when she returned. Like, now what? You spend so much energy and focus on this one thing, and then you don't have direction afterward. After some googling, I discovered it's called "post-success letdown."

But why does this happen? It's because our brains become accustomed to the heightened levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward, during moments of success. Once the excitement subsides, dopamine levels drop, leading to feelings of disappointment or even sadness.

I'm working on a big women's leadership event in a month, and here are the steps I'm taking before, during, and after so that I don't have these huge mood swings: 

Before: Prepare for the during, and after: 

Prepare like an athlete. Get your body and mind in the best shape. Go to bed early. 8 hours of sleep. Every. Single. Night.

Eat healthy. Greens, no crap. No booze. It'll ruin your sleep, make you all puffy, and screw with your head. 

Exercise. Every day. Sweat out the stress and feel the endorphins. Feel good/look good.

Stick to a daily routine that gets you in a winning mindset. 

Lay out your outfit and buy what you'll need. (and actually, try it on - get into the mindset now!) 

Book a mani/pedi.

Determine transportation - are you driving/parking/etc. 

Bring snacks. Keep them super handy. Eat before you go. Plan meals in advance. 

Bring your Stanley. Hydrate often. Go pee often. 

Have someone else help with the kids/pets. 

Plan for the post-event: 

(there are 2 options here - either you'll want to hibernate alone and sleep, OR you'll want to celebrate with the girls) so have these options ready and use them as something to look forward to: 

Book a massage for the day after. 

Get a book or movie prepared to indulge in. 

If you don't want to make plans, prepare your comfy clothes to zone out and recoup. 

If you want to celebrate, call your girlfriends now and tell them what you need (that's why they were invented, so lean on them). Pick your favorite spot, and make reservations now. 

During: Be in the Moment: It's game day! 

Go out there and kick butt! Be fully present - you are the sun! Radiate your positive energy! SMILE! 😄

Thank your team and yourself for getting to this moment. Have FUN! Take pictures and videos to capture this experience - be proud! (if it's not going well, remember that this too shall pass, and every day only has 24 hours, so it'll be over soon, so hang in there - that's why we plan for self-care right after!). 

After: REST: 

Take time to reflect on what just happened. WOW. You did it! Don't push yourself too hard when you get home. You just went through a significant experience, so let it marinate for a bit. I remember after planning my wedding, I was TOAST on the honeymoon. Couldn't make a decision to save my life. So, don't feel like you need to do anything right now. Give an iPad to the kids and have them walk the dog. Get a cup of tea. Break out the ice cream. Take a nap. 

Remember, it's good to feel all the feels. Despite the letdown, I'm still excited about the high and will manage my low to the best of my ability. The low you feel after a big event is just your system getting back to baseline, which is a good thing!

The important thing here is to realize that the more you can prepare yourself by taking the steps in advance, the more you care for your body and mind, which will help keep you going. You got this, gf! 

Love you. Gotta go. Bye.

xoxo

Tamara

Let me know if you want me to create more of a checklist. I started to see one come together here, but honestly, right now, I have to go skiing with my kids, and this is in a good enough place to send out now; learn if it's something you want to know more about and then go from there. I love you so much, gf. Get out there today!