|
By Kelly Romirowsky, PsyD 
What is Sunday night like in your house? Do you spend it trying to
pretend tomorrow isn’t Monday? Do you make an endless to do list for
the coming week? Do you get a stomachache just thinking about tomorrow?
Do you pace your house because you can’t fall asleep? Or do you stay up
until you’re bleary-eyed watching TV or surfing the web to keep your
mind occupied?
How ever you spend your Sunday night, for many of us, our Sunday
night ritual could use a little makeover. Many people are spending
lots of time and energy worrying about the economy, their bank accounts
and how they will pay their next bill. Some are even feeling helpless
and depressed as they go to a job they hate but can’t leave.
The Sunday night ritual is completely understandable- even when it
runs into Monday night and beyond. Lately turning on the TV, opening
the paper, surfing the web, talking to friends (in person or
virtually), and even going to a bar can knock you off your feet- and
not in a good way. We are inundated with breaking (and not so
breaking) news about the state of our economy and it seems to be all
people talk about. Even the latest discussion about the health care
plan reverts back to a discussion about how much it will cost us. It
seems that the phrase "that’s not something we can afford now” fits
into almost any conversation with almost anyone these days! Although I
am quite pleased to see the shift where talking about your money is
becoming less taboo, this Sunday night ritual, complete with aches,
pains, and "pills,” has got to stop!
First, let’s consider why the ritual exists. What does the Sunday
night ritual accomplish? For some people, it may serve as a distraction
from thinking about something that is worrying you even more than
bills. For others, it may simply provide a routine for your
unstructured Sunday night? It may be something that developed over such
a long time you can’t even remember not doing it and can’t figure out
why you keep doing it. Some people might say the ritual prepares them
for the week of work and stress ahead.
After you have made an educated guess as to why you maintain your
Sunday night ritual, I’d like you to close your eyes for just a second
and imagine it now. What do you feel and where in your body do you feel
it? Most importantly do you feel relaxed, focused, and energized
imagining yourself in your Sunday night? Or are your shoulders hunched
up near your ears, are there butterflies in your stomach, are you
sweating? Do you just want to open your eyes and stop pretending it’s
Sunday night? I asked you this because it’s important to recognize how
Sunday night makes you feel and think- instead of just going through it
week after week wishing for Friday. If you had mainly positive or
generally relaxed feelings and thoughts while doing this exercise,
great!
For the rest of you, it’s time to start opening your eyes. You don’t
have to keep up your Sunday night ritual- you don’t have to dread
Mondays! You do need to take notice of what you were feeling physically
and emotionally and what thoughts popped in your head so we can turn
your ritual into a much anticipated and even treasured moment in your
week. So tonight tune in to how you’re spending your time before bed,
what you’re feeling physically and emotionally, and what thoughts are
going round and round in your head. Jot down your impressions in a
notebook by your bed or send yourself an email (for those of you who
forgot what a spiral-bound notebook is!).
About the Author...
Dr. Kelly Romirowsky is a clinical psychologist with a therapy practice in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Last Update: 10/3/2009
|
