7 Health Lessons From the Last 6 Months
The last six months have been a whirlwind for me, to say the least. My Dad passed away very suddenly, I ran an ultra-marathon, I went to a meditation retreat in Costa Rica for three weeks, I moved to another city and started a new job on a whim only to hate it and quit. So here I am now, pulling together some thoughts of what I have learned in the last six months.
To start, my Dad passed away very suddenly of a heart attach at age 58. As a Nutritionist, I can’t help but kick myself that I didn’t get on him about health and inquire more about his heart. Although he had no prior heart concerns, I still feel like I should have done more. But with that is the first lesson, you cannot control the past, you can only control your future. The only thing I can do now is move forward and make changes in my life to honour my health. So don’t wallow in the overeating you did over your summer holiday, just look forward at what you can do to feel good and stay healthy moving forward. Each minute is a new opportunity to make a change for the better. So stop beating yourself up and instead, set a goal and achieve it.
Throughout this process I have had a lot of time to sit back and reflect on life. I took a big break from all social media and even went to Costa Rica for 3 weeks to really reset and grieve. While there, I really learned how to listen to my body. YOU are your best health guide. I did a lot of meditation and yoga which taught me body awareness. Body awareness to my surroundings and also awareness of my internal cues. Am I hungry? Do I need to move my body? Do I need to sleep? I didn’t realize how disconnected to my body I was until I actually took the time to stop and listen to what my body was communicating with me. This may stem from years of academic work or maybe learned habits from my parents.
My Dad was the last person to stop working or go to the doctor and I think I inherited that from him. I will work through anything and avoid the doctor like the plague. Three years ago I broke my foot but I was in denial and just trying to avoid talking to the doctor (for some unknown reason). After six weeks I finally went in and got an x-ray. My foot wad broken in two places and I delayed the healing time because I didn’t go in sooner. So whether I blame my Dad or my poor choices, I have learned now to acknowledge when something is wrong and investigate my health. Maybe that little issue you’re having is more than you think. Don’t put your health second. Your health in the most important thing you have.
This counts not only for physical health but also mental health. Over these months I have learned to slow down and say no more often. Life will always have demands and many of them are not urgent. I watched my Dad start many businesses and succeed very much, but at what cost? In life we have to find balance and some times that means saying no. I stopped pushing myself to do things that made me more run down just out of FOMO or made me feel uncomfortable. And I have taken more time to meditate and to s l o w d o w n my thinking and decision making.
On the contrary, being happy and healthy also means saying yes to the things you love. I know it’s clique, but life is short, do the damn thing! I know there were many adventures my Dad was hoping to have in his retirement, which had just started. But now those adventures will never be had. Don’t let dreams be dreams, go out and get the thing you want, go on that trip and tell the person you love them. In a health perspective, join the dance class, start a meal plan and buy the skanky bikini. You deserve to feel your best and live your best life, so take the steps now to feel great. What are you waiting for?!
This was actually a big inspiration for Jared and I to move to Nelson. We had always dreamed of living there and were always saying “one day we’ll get there”. We went there on a trip shortly after the funeral and on the four hour drive back, we looked at each other and said “fuck it, let’s move to Nelson”! A month later we had jobs and a rental lined up.
I am very happy to live in a smaller city with a friendly community. It has thankfully been an easy transition. The reason for that leads me to the next lesson, community is key. It amazes me to see the amount of support I have had throughout this process. Even running an ultra-marathon, I could have never done it (or wanted to do it) without my running partner. The highs and lows your encounter when running nine hours in steep terrain is like the highs and lows in life. And it’s much easier to come up from the lows and celebrate the highs when you have someone there by your side. Humans are social beings and our health thrives when we have people around to share memories with. Make sure to find your community and cultivate it because you never know when you need them or they will need you. I am so thankful to my friends who have stuck by me no matter where in the world I am and also the family.
It is unfortunate that it took an event like this to bring family together. But I have recently been more open and connected to family from both sides. It was truly a trickle effect. I have learned to connect more and listen to the ones that matter. After hearing about the stories of my Dad over the years it made me want to learn more about people and genuinely listen. I went off social media for a few weeks and connected more to myself and the ones around me. With the hustle bustle of the Western world, it is easy to forget the people that have stood by you for years and years. My mental health has been as strong as ever by taking the time to connect and get closer to the ones I’m close to.
I am sure more lessons will come in the upcoming months, but it is always good to reflect on where you have come and what you can learn in life. I hope these help you to connect more with the ones that matter or to start that walking group or to plant that garden. Your health is the most important thing and it starts with you.