That’s it. I’ve had enough. Enough of the stress and overwhelm and self-preservation. Enough of the self-soothing, over sleeping, mental fortitude requirements, and the unknown. It started March 2020 and it hasn’t stopped. The roller coaster of information, truth and science, and a society riddled in unrest and fear has kept me in a state and I’m fed up with uncertainty. So, I’m taking the bull by the horns and matters into my own hands.
The world has been rattled, there is no doubt. The last 20 months have been unfair and yes, it’s true – we still don’t know what each day will hold. In fact, there doesn’t seem to be any end to the craziness in sight.
When this whole thing started I knew building strength and health would be important for my immune system, but it was all I could do to keep my mind in the right place, let alone keep my business on schedule. Sound familiar?
So, while I continued taking my vitamins and lemon water each morning, my workout routine got put on the back burner. Instead, I focused on maintaining sleep patterns (sleep is when your body repairs itself), self-care (spending time caring for chickens and plants and my garden), and mental sanity (not taking on too much, absorbing too much, or holding too much).
But somewhere along the line I found myself sipping more wine than normal – to essentially ‘relax’ and ‘numb’ and to even ‘cope’. My sentiment was clear to me. I worked hard today and have taken in too much information, now I need to unwind. I even registered the URL Zoomosa.com and hosted a few virtual happy hour networking parties. I mean, if we can’t meet for drinks to commiserate about the world in person, we better be able to do it online.
Then, a client told me a story about a book he had been introduced to called ‘The Alcohol Experiment‘ and I was intrigued. Ordered and received, I started the month long experiment on September 1st and wow! What insight it is providing.
Not only that, my husband and I found we were self-soothing and comforting ourselves and each other with food. We could claim to be ‘foodies’ because we’ve always loved good food and we love to cook and experiment with flavor here at home. But combine that with more sleep, more alcohol, and less activity and I realized my body was suffering.
Fast forward to end of spring this year and statistics started showing that this was ’the new norm’. That Americans and people around the globe were gaining weight due to the pandemic, inability to go to a gym, fear of going outside, and so many were in exactly the same situation I was now in.
Womp. Womp. I was turning into a statistic.
But I just simply refuse! I will not allow myself to be a statistic.
The truth is, the only thing I can actually control is me. That’s why I’m finally standing up and drawing a line.
Starting September 1st, I cut sugar and alcohol (hello, dry-September & ‘The Alcohol Experiment’), and I’m now 10-days into a strength and cardio workout program that is kicking my butt.
Luckily, I had been using my treadmill and sauna on a regular basis, so I was semi-prepped for the workouts I’m diving into again.
No matter what though, I’m determined. This is the start to a new dedicated journey I have yet again found a serious motivation for – and for ALL the right reasons!
And apparently, I’m not alone. If you have found yourself battling to keep your motivation as you also keep your mind straight, now you know I’ve been there with you. And I’m here to tell you – you can draw your line, too. Once you find and draw that “fed up with uncertainty” line in the sand, stand tall, turn around, and walk head held high toward your own personal new normal.
If you need motivation or want to talk it out, I’m here for that, too. Because if my honesty about my own journey can be of strength to anyone, sharing is worth it.
To all of our health and the future ahead,
Jamie
4 Comments
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Thanks for your honesty and encouragement Jamie!
❤️ Thank you for your note, Leanna! And, you are so welcome.
Clear minds! So important! Thanks for sharing your journey. It helps.
YES! Clear minds are crucial for this time. Love you dad!