A couple weeks ago was an especially rough week. As a matter of fact, a week ago I hit a very low spot, feeling very depressed, the kind that rears its ugliness and just sits on you, when you feel like nothing is worth all the effort anymore. I was just so fatigued and felt like everything was off…my mind, body and spirit. My neck had been hurting from improper ergonomics during the work at home order, which seemed to really be throwing me off my normal groove as well. I had to take a step back to evaluate what I had been doing differently that was causing such a shift in how I was feeling.
To start with, I have gained 12 pounds since the shelter-in mandate, and recognized that I was definitely eating more and using food as a crutch for the fears and loneliness I was feeling when the pandemic began. Ya know…you feel it when you gain weight. It literally weighs you down, and I want to be active and healthy. I’m in the process of letting go of excess baggage, not wanting additional in any way, physically or metaphorically. That, in combination with a really difficult May for me personally (yes, the entire month) seemed to be when I began to let up on the things I know work for me. The things that keep me moving forward to wholeness and health: physically, mentally and emotionally. I was only sporadically doing the daily self-care, or perhaps I should call it daily necessity-care, things that have proven themselves. For me, this includes stretching, mindfulness practice, and exercise every, single day. When I stick with it, it helps enormously. I had stopped caring for myself as I should every day and hadn’t even noticed.
This past week I decided to really kick it into gear. It was time to make sure my daily practices were actually daily again. That combined with a trip to an acupuncturist, and fasting from a few foods and drinks has really replenished me. I’m feeling so much better. My energy has improved drastically, along with my mood.
As I made a very simple salad today that my grandma used to make; carrot salad with raisins, I was reminded of the importance of simplifying. This simple salad with only four ingredients is both delicious and good for your eyes (like grandma used to say). Lighten your load. Do what you know works and simplify. You might just need to give yourself a break.
Commenti