HEALTH

BREATHING.

April 1, 2020

THOUGHTS.

May 31, 2020

Published by Sherrie B. Littlejohn on April 30, 2020

Tags

Physical Health. Emotional Health. Mental Health.

In these times of unprecedented life circumstances, enhanced feelings, and increased responsibilities, I thought I would attempt to address some topics that have become more evident in my coaching and daily conversations. Fortunately, most of us are rising and embracing life as it shifts on various levels. However, there are some cracks that show themselves for which we are not readily prepared. This brings me to my topic for May 2020 – Health.

I will likely only touch the surface of each of these. As such, I would encourage you to check other resources* should you feel the need to pursue more knowledge for more healthy living.

Physical Health. Eating, moving, and resting well are keys to our bodies feeling well. The weight loss industry continues to grow encouraging us with products, applications, and tools. It is fantastic if any of these work for you. If you have found it hard to stick with, it’s been too expensive to comply, you don’t have time to commit, or if you simply have not made the commitment to yourself to follow through, do yourself a favor. Be truthful and admit you are not as committed to you as you thought you were, or you want to be. You have made a different choice and you are comfortable with that choice consciously or unconsciously. It’s ok. You will be ok, until you are not. There is no judgment. Own it.

I had to have this truthful conversation with myself. I’d choose to lose weight for an event. That was my motivation. I’d buy the products and take them for a time, buy equipment that gathered dust, buy a gym membership and use applications. All captured my interest for a period of time, until they didn’t.

I had previously been diagnosed as lactose intolerant as a young woman. Years later, I was diagnosed as being gluten intolerant. I also learned that I had sensitivities to certain foods. My physical body started to have an extreme reaction which guided me to commit to a different decision. The pain of my current state became unbearable. With help from a health care physician, I began to eat differently, move differently and rest differently. Thus, I “wanted” to do something different or maybe I “needed” to do something different, if I “wanted” to feel better. Consequently, I did something different and stuck with it, until I didn’t. That is, I began to feel better. I started adding a temptation here and there. Then I realized, I wasn’t feeling so good anymore. Needless to say, the cycle began of gain/lose/gain/lose/gain more/lose less.

It was not until I committed to a new way of thinking, believing, feeling and doing about eating, exercising, and resting that the ‘yoyo’ effect subsided. One thing I have come to embrace as real – You are what you eat!

Admittedly, I do not like to sweat. Ha! However, I do love a brisk walk and that gets my heart rate going. I’ve lost thirty pounds over the past five months – no meat (a little chicken occasionally), no wheat, no sweets and all meals on a saucer – have been my anchor along with the brisk walks. Every now and then I have a glass of wine or a gluten free cookie. Easy? Yes and no, once I made a commitment to myself, I was on my way. The hardest part was and is making and keeping the commitment.

I wanted a different outcome and I believed it was up to me. I made a commitment to me and I think, feel and do better. I asked myself, “If you cannot be truly committed to yourself, how could anyone expect your commitment to them?” It’s not an unfamiliar question. I’d just never applied it to weight loss or health. Today, I realize more than ever, that without our health, most everything becomes a bit harder to achieve. Take a moment and think about your physical health, your financial health, your educational health, your spiritual health, your relationship health, your mental health, or your emotional health, to name a few. When our health is strong, we are strong. When our health is weak, we are weakened. Fact.

Let me speak briefly to emotional and mental health. With our lives literally changed overnight due to the coronavirus pandemic, we need only look in the mirror and realize that our emotional and mental capacities are touched in some way. For some of us we are initially delighted to not need to commute and for others it is not an option. For some of us we are initially traumatized at the thought of not being able to get out and mix with family and friends. Some of us immediately sought out Zoom or other free video conferencing to engage in “virtual happy hours” while others rejoiced to have more time to think, maybe. Businesses decided some form of video conferencing was going to be the norm for the increased meetings that are deemed necessary, not always realizing that being that up close and personal six to eight hours a day can be challenging. Educators believed we could teach online classes or use homework packets for all ages to educate, at least temporarily. Parents, now novice educators, continue to figure out their roles and their children’s roles in planning out a school day and wonder what the day will be for summer without camps or childcare options. And while some of us may have living space for working at home, teaching at home, or playing at home [oftentimes at the same time], others of us are cramped. And too, there are those for which the virus has hit close to home with sickness, financial stress, or simply the fear of the unknown.

It is during these times that our emotional and mental capacities are tested. I cannot provide you answers for all that you might be experiencing. What I can offer is suggestions to breathe, include the family in major decisions, talk with others, be patient with yourself, breathe, seek help from reputable resources, laugh, take a walk, meditate, and breathe. Wear a mask and gloves, and maintain the 6 foot distance. Be considerate of others and yourself.

During the past several weeks I’ve lost my father and a great uncle. Acquaintances, family, and friends have passed away, recovered or are recovering in the wake of Covid-19, and there’s everyday life that continues to evolve. And yet, most of the time, I smile, show gratitude, grow, and show love. I believe we are each on a journey to becoming our best selves based on our conscious awareness of who we are and who we want to be. These are challenging times, far more than usual. However, I believe we will get through this and be better for it; stronger, wiser, and more resilient.

I’ll close for now by taking a page from the daily Coronavirus Briefing delivered by New York Governor, Mr. Andrew Cuomo. We get the opportunity each day to choose to be tough, smart, disciplined, united, and loving. May we choose wisely.

Love & Gratitude,

Sherrie