Are you good at listening to your body and resting when it tells you to rest? Or, are you someone who pushes through and just keeps on pushing until you get slapped down sick?
Today I had to go slow and lay flat on my back most of the day napping, hydrating, sleeping— doing very little. Since I am my primary care physician, I had to listen!
Rest is sort of like my preventative pharmaceutical drug. I rest and recover before I get sick whereas the masses get sick, then count on drugs to make them well.
A woman who lives in my complex is always on the go and she seems to sneer at me when I tell her “I’m taking it easy today.” She’s a classic narcissist who sees resting as lazy and weak.
Sure enough, she got the flu (it might have been Covid) and was unable to move for 3 days, absolutely no energy.
Then after 10 days of not working, she went back to work for 3 days and now she’s flat on her back again. In other words, If you don’t choose to rest and revive yourself, a sickness will come along and make you do it AND if you try to get back to your regular life too soon, it’ll slap you down again.
My first job was in a drugstore pharmacy. From age 17 to 23, I watched what I did not want to become. So many people, so many sicknesses, so reliant on those pills.
I vowed to look out for myself and prevent having to take pills. So far, so good, I am 60 this year. I figure I should know by now that this way of healthcare suits me just fine. I listen within and honor my body with rest and only the highest quality nutrition and the best water on the planet!
I’ll never forget the year (in my 30’s) when I was still eating dairy products and all kinds of junky, processed foods. I had chronic sinus issues several times in a year! They became infections because I just kept going physically and eating irritating, inflammatory foods. It took me a long time to get that out of my system.
I had a cough that went on for months and that cough gave me such a desire to never cough like that again. You know that rumbling, phlegmy sound in the back of your throat? It’s gross and I NEVER want to experience it again!
We need to be responsible for our lives. We need to give up foods that clearly have a negative reaction in our system. We’re all different. We need to be our own primary care physician! We know ourselves better than anyone else. Tap in!
It’s definitely going to take something. You are in charge, not your habits.
It’s avoiding those kinds of illnesses that motivate me to be healthy.
I am committed to being super healthy. When I share how much rest I get, many people say, “I’ll sleep when I die.” As if sleeping is a weakness!
I can assure you, SLEEP is a necessary drug, do not minimize its power. It’s another one of those simple habits that leads to super health! That’s my message for this end of October day. Check in with yourself and listen, you’ll be glad you did.
Be Well.
I added this link below because I “technically” learned how to do it! Plus, someone may feel inspired to make a Love Donation. If that’s you, I thank you and if there is no inspiration, that’s okay too. I’m just learning to be open to many possibilities because there are so many!
Sometimes thoughts and feelings are strong and deep and they are hard to put into words. I will do my best.
Michigan State University–30 years ago, I taught aerobics classes to the undergraduates and to the MSU hockey team. It was a memorable time of my life because I was putting myself out there!
I was a graduate student at Michigan State University working toward my Masters Degree. I got paid to teach what I know and love–health and fitness. It was a win win.
When you stand in front of 40 to 60 College students, however, you’d better believe you will be judged. I figured it would be a good idea to NOT be ruled by their judgement of me so it was my practice to let them know.
Always on the first or second day of class I explained to them that I was going to have fun. I was going to be me and express my knowledge and my enthusiasm for being healthy.
I told them, “I don’t care what you think of me since I am the one living my life, not you!” Too many people allow others’ thoughts of them stop them in their personal pursuits.
Anyway, the thoughts sifted into my mind tonight as I was finishing my chores.
I realize, I have lost the strength of that quality.
I need to recommit and regain the ability to NOT CARE WHAT THE WORLD THINKS OF ME!
The world is far different now, we didn’t have the Internet back then. Now, there is a whole new game in town and it’s a worldwide game! Putting ourselves out there is a far greater stress.
I’m not sure why we think we have to look and be a certain way according to society’s standard. We are free and we get to BE. Regardless of what anybody thinks of you or me, we are the ones living our lives.
I am standing on the precipice of creating a few different online businesses and with that comes putting myself out there. We all need to reinforce ourselves with who we are. Be true to who you are. Do not let all the judgements, that are most definitely swirling around out there, stop you!
Did you know? Going barefoot on the Earth is one of the best drugs you can take! The Earth is like a battery that contains a subtle, electrical charge. The transfer of grounding electrons into your body will bring your body benefits that are hard to believe. Fortunately, there are studies that show these benefits and more.
Anxiety and depression decrease, inflammation is minimized, sleep is improved. There is improved circulation and a reduction in heart disease and blood pressure due to the benefit of thinning thick, viscous blood. Stress hormones go down, while beneficial endorphins go up!
Because most of us are wearing rubber soled shoes, we are blocking the electrical charge that is needed to bring the balance grounding gives us. If you can go barefoot on the grass, dirt, sand, anywhere out there for at least 30 minutes daily, you will reap some of these benefits!
If you are unable because of a cold Winter or a busy schedule, there are also indoor options you can invest in like floor or chair mats and bed pads. Look into it or get outside and start to feel vibrant!
This is SIMPLE STUFF! Being healthy doesn’t have to be hard. Please “Like” and “Follow” me here for weekly Simple Tips toward being Super Healthy!
If you feel inspired and want to make a Love Donation, please do! If not, that’s okay too, just let me share what I know. I can’t keep it in, I’ve got to let it out
This is something I tell myself every day, “Make the Most of the Best and the least of the worst!”
After only 10 minutes driving this sporty car for the first time, I got pulled over. Apparently I was going 50 in a 35 zone. My local friends tell me I drove through a well known speed trap but it’s been 30 years since I’ve lived in the area so I was clueless.
It was interesting, I had just thought to myself, “I wonder what the speed limit is?” It was Michigan Avenue with 4 lanes in each direction so I thought it had to be at least 45mph. Nope!
Thirty seconds after wondering what the limit was the police lights were flashing. I told him that I had just wondered?!!!
Instead of giving me a speeding ticket which would Add 3 points to my record and make my insurance go up, he gave me an “impeding traffic” ticket which would not effect my record. It was, however, a $180 ticket but I was grateful for his kindness nonetheless.
He also warned me to pay attention since there are sections where the limit is as low as 30!
I had just driven my best friend to the airport and I got to keep the car to drive for the week. Admittedly, I do get a thrill when I drive fast cars! It’s real hard for me to go SLOW.
My first car when I was 17 was a Formula 400, 4 speed Firebird!
Formula 400/4Barrel Firebird!
Anyway…
I made the MOST of the BEST and the least of the worst!
And that was my attitude with the knowing I had to pay $180. Then, even better things happened!
My brother-in-law has a neighbor who is a cop and he was able to dismiss the whole thing!!!
The moral of the story is, look for things to appreciate. It’s easy to complain about what went wrong. The more time we focus on the best, perhaps better things will come our way.
MAKE THE MOST OF THE BEST and the least of the worst!
These are the legs that I have pretty much covered up for 30 years. Covered up, meaning always wearing long pants or tights. There are many reasons why I didn’t think my legs were worthy of being seen.
Looking back, I can see where I may have started hating on myself. You know, more moments of looking at what’s wrong as opposed to seeing what’s right!
About 25 years ago, I had a friend who was in her early 20’s, I was in my early 30’s. She was a character for sure, strong, assertive and sometimes matter of fact and crass.
Sunbathing at her Condo in Malibu, a woman walked by, she said, “oh my God, somebody cover that woman up, why is she walking around with all that fat wobbling and those purple veins everywhere!”
Not only was it mean spirited, it made me think about my legs and wonder if they were worthy of being seen. Perhaps that was the beginning of me scrutinizing my less than perfect legs, along with everybody else who began scrutinizing them!
I was a trainer at The Malibu Gym.The gym is a tough place to be. Everybody is checking out everybody else and the people working out are staring in the mirror at themselves and everybody else.
One of the more mature female trainers made it a point to tell me that I still needed to lose that little bit of fat just under my ass at the top of my hamstrings–she even grabbed the fat to be real clear!
Mind you, we weren’t close friends, she just wanted to put me in my placesince I was a new trainer. Now, looking back after a lifetime profession of helping people get healthier, there has always been the pressure to look the part. Hence the scrutinizing.
I had been feeling fabulous. I had just completed a 10 day vegetable juice fast. Since I rarely wore shorts, I felt brave and confident enough to put them on and walk into the gym. That ass grabbing incident took care of that!
Right around the same stretch of time, I decided to take an aerobics class in Hollywood. Whenever I wasn’t going to my gym, I felt a little freer to wear shorts elsewhere since nobody knew me. A day free of scrutinizing!
Again,I was feeling great as I walked across a residential street toward the dance studio and I noticed a homeless man in the alley near the studio. Later, when I left the studio heading back toward my car, he said, “you’ve got to get that last little bit of fat off the back of your legs, then they’ll be perfect.”
Why were these people so bold about MY body!?! I’m hard enough on myself, I guess they were my mirror, showing me more of the same.
My legs are not perfect.
My legs are sun damaged and scarred from too many blistering sunburns and too many mountain bike crashes. They are full of discolored broken veins. They have brown spots and white spots and oh yeah, red and purple spots too.
And, as you’ve already discovered, they’ve got a good amount of fat as a layer, and of course that added fat up near my ass!
Geez.
Oh my goodness, as much as my legs are not perfect, I have seen some perfect legs. Absolutely smooth, silky, flawless legs. It’s maddening when I see them because oh how I have wanted perfect legs. I salivate when I see them.
Perfection is not attainable, how did we get wired into being so physically focused?I have managed to stay out of the mainstream mentality of a lot of things but I have failed in this category.
I’m sure all of those perfect legs I’ve seen, those dear ones have their own struggles, their own focusing on what’s wrong but just in other areas. Even though it may appear so, no one is perfect. We all hide our imperfections in one way or another.
I now embrace my imperfections, it is so much easier and feels a lot better than striving for perfection. I’m not gonna lie, it takes time.
In the past, I learned to pick myself apart and tear myself down pretty good. Always looking at what’s wrong, what’s unacceptable, unlovable.
And with all of that, I’ve been covering them up for a good 30 years. Disliking them, keeping them hidden. Now that I am blessed by AWARENESS, things can change!
I must proclaim, my legs are magnificent! They are strong and flexible, they get me places. They carry me through it all. There are times I am in AWE of my legs and what they’ve accomplished. Yes, my legs are beautiful because they are strong and they move with easeand flexibility.
My legs have been the basis of my income since I was 23! I worked my way through college teaching Aerobics. My legs have enduredheavy squats during all my years of power lifting in the gym.My legs powered me through leading hikes in Malibu for the last 15 years. My legs have been pedaling up hills in the Santa Monica Mountains for the last 26 years. I could go on, you get the point.
Perhaps the narrative should be, “thank you for supporting me even though I haven’t loved you nearly enough”.
It feels really shallow to be so critical of appearance, especially knowing there are people who can’t even move their legs! I am profusely gratefulfor my perfectly imperfect legs.
Today I turned 60! I now embrace my legs and remind myself what they have done for me and continue to do. I’m going to practice something far better than pin pointing every flaw. I’m moving from self loathing toward self loving!
That is my new blog and if you can relate, please comment. If you feel inspired to send me a donation, I will graciously accept! If not, that’s okay too, I’m just learning to ask and receive and if I don’t ask, I won’t receive. Thank you for reading!
There’s something about writing that clears things out for me. I can just express myself. Some people can express through singing, talking, dancing, or their own kind of artistry. Words and writing seems to be my artistry.
Welcome to my outdoor office!
I’m writing this blog to take care of my own mental health and hopefully to affect someone else who needs to read what I write. We really all have similar blocks and becoming aware of them together will begin the healing. I just know it.
I have lived a lot of life so far and I hope I can help you to navigate the spots that seem rough and hard to get through. They say we teach what we most need to learn.
There will probably be lots about health since I’ve lived most of my life as a health professional in various ways. It will be a myriad of information. I need to get it out of me and if people read, watch, and embrace it then this is valuable.
There will be lots about mindset and finding ways to create and manifest what we are wanting. I’ve studied Sport Psychology and earned a Masters Degree. My real love is Psychoneuroimmunology but that wasn’t a program when I was wanting to learn it. Sport Psychology was the closest thing–using mental techniques to enhance performance. Mental techniques can enhance your entire life!
I have a ton of empathy and I have compassion for the soft spots where you’re coming from.
Instead of writing for myself and keeping it private, I’ll be sharing things that can be quite vulnerable for me. I’m hoping you’ll be able to relate to a thing or two.
All I know is I need to get back to writing regularly, it really is my therapy. Thank you for reading.
In a nutshell, life is all about AWARENESS. Once you become Aware, you’re on your way to healing.
