Sometimes I wake up with every intention of working out. Get my energy drink and get dressed to work out. Then, I take the dog out and start cleaning or organizing or anything and before I know it, baby is up, husband is up and the day is starting without my workout being done. I'm posting this because I'm hoping to break this habit! Virtual gym and hitting play in 5 minutes! That will allow me to have a little more of my energize and get the gym set up. I have been LOVING my results (for both my mind and body) don't want to lose that momentum! Sweaty selfie coming up....

I don't know the last time I have ever been able to say this about an entire week that I have been in the office, but it was a good, productive week. I actually feel like I tackled a lot on my to do list everyday and accomplished a majority of it. I'm still not sleeping through the night which is frustrating me, but I am sleeping enough. I have tried taking melatonin, which doesn't keep me asleep. I might take benadryl tonight to see if that helps me at all. I just want my brain to shut off from thinking about my former boss and the mountain of problems he left me. I know some of it, I am still processing my own feelings. I have had a lot of good conversations with the VP of my company this week. He and I have been working very hard together to figure out what the former PM was doing. So, that has been extremely helpful and eye opening for me. And I knew the former PM did this, it took me 7 years to figure it out after a colleague at our former company reached out to me about something, this guy had a way of getting into my head and manipulating me against people. He particularly did this with people we worked with but I didn't work closely with. Unfortunately, the VP of the company was one of those people that I am referring to. And the VP recognized this and he knows this happened because I told him that right before he fired the PM. So, it has been a relief to get out from under this man. I'm feeling my energy come back. I don't dread going into the office as much. It's amazing what the shift has been in just a week. I am also going to share that while we haven't formally discussed my role in the department yet. We have discussed that I (and my colleague) are getting raises. The former PM's bonus is going to be split between the 2 of us. And my job title has at least changed to Project Manager/Geologist.

I listened to my body this morning. I woke up in the middle of the night. I tossed and turned for a good hour. I should probably find a better alternative, but I put Harry Potter on to quiet my mind. Yesterday was a good day. It was weird without my former PM, but it felt really good to be able to freely have conversations without him chiming in or be able to freely laugh without him getting up and asking my colleague if she's telling jokes. Most of my afternoon yesterday was meetings with the VP of the company. When we got up to leave the conference room, I even said to him that I promise I will forget everything my former PM said about you. I had realized that because of the long working relationship we had, we were too close that he had that power in manipulating me into thinking certain people were the enemy. And the VP of the company was one of those people. But to top of everything, my former PM's wife reached out to me. She had gotten my number when the PM injured himself months ago. Well, she asked me to call her after work one day. There was no other context. My initial thought was to ignore her and I am still doing that. But I also sent the VP an email this morning because we need to reach out to the guy for some government property. And in my email I told him I don't feel comfortable reaching out to him until the dust settles and his wife stops contacting me for answers. I figured it was best that the VP knew. Today was a better day. I am still exhausted, but its a different type of exhausted. I feel like I am getting things done. We're getting reports out the door. And we're slowly figuring out all his screw ups. Though some of them more major than others which the VP is asking me what the guy was thinking and I go I don't know because he gave me the run around. I know we will ride out this storm. It just might be a long storm, but we will eventually get through it and come out stronger on the other side.

The email list will find out this evening, but you are my inner circle. I’m giving you first dibs on the cohort for 2025! The link is live, details are in the description. https://like-the-metal-llc.square.site/product/2026-accountability-cohort/ELVWYUWBFVZ5FR5HJGQFUQJU Even if you don’t want to join the year long accountability crew, I hope you join us for the free live workshop on New Year’s Day! Register here: https://acsteele.myflodesk.com/pbr6ahoyg8