Welcome to a new year.
2020 got our attention… our fear, our energy. Our focus was on the pandemic, the unknown and change. The energy we used to put into health, wellness and self-care seemed to vanish. Worry and fear are such powerful emotions and we’re not comfortable with them AT ALL. So that discomfort sucked up the energy and focus we might have put into our wellness.
I still thought of health but more the avoidance of the virus. Don’t get sick, don’t go out, don’t … don’t … don’t. My energy shifted from increasing my wellness to trying not to catch some deadly bug. And if I made it thru the day without a fever, scratchy throat or loss of sense of smell, I felt successful or lucky.
So illness pulled our attention from wellness and the results are? Well, many of us soothed ourselves with stress eating and Netflix binging and no surprise, we gained weight. Many upped their alcohol consumption which also adds weight. Remember too that alcohol is a toxin and a depressant so you’ve got those dragging your wellness down. Gyms closed and many lost their fitness routines and gained weight, lost muscle tone, power and energy. Worry, shifts in work, loss of work, fear of illness, fear for the health of our family… all that fear and worry is a super drain on your immune system, right when you need it to be strong. For some, watching the news might have replaced our calming meditation time.
I’m going to stop this litany of bad news now. My point is if you’ve strayed from your wellness program, gained weight, have become more sedentary and aren’t feeling your normal chill, zen self…. you’re not alone. You didn’t “blow it.” We all got majorly distracted and our wellness routines suffered…. in a time when we really do want to be super well. What are you going to do about it?
You can continue your 2020 ways until you feel like the pandemic is over and life can go back to normal but, that’s not the best choice. Health isn’t an on or off sort of thing. When we let your health and wellness slip… it keeps sliding. While we might avoid getting Covid, there are a lot of other health challenges that can arise from poor diet, worry, lack of movement, stress and throwing down excess alcohol. You aren’t a machine. You are a being, an animal and you need proper care.
It’s a new year. I am suggesting we revisit our pre-pandemic health, wellness, self-care practices. Pick one step to wellness as a place to begin and get back at it. One change helps you slow the slide into poor health. Decide to get back to eating more fresh, whole foods or choose to get moving. Getting outdoors is an amazing mood shifter for me, as well as getting my body the movement it needs. Yes, being outdoors in the winter is a perfectly comfortable thing. That’s what coats, hats and boots are for. 😉 Plus, trust me, winter hiking is amazing because there’s never a crowd. Nature is full of beauty, wisdom and calm. Not sure you can say that for the news? haha! I love winter hiking.
Grab this new year with a fresh outlook. You are established in your 2020 routines. You have adjusted. Some of us work at home now. Some of us have kids at home. We don’t get to hang out with our pals in person. We know how to do this now. I don’t know how long these shifts will go on. But wherever you work, wherever your kids are schooled, whatever the covid statistics are today…. I think it’s time to refocus on our health!
Choose one change and implement it with a smile on your face. Exercise, movement, healthy eating, meditation, breath work… all that stuff that’s good for you is also good for your emotions, your immune system, your peace of mind.
Happy new year.
Congratulations on surviving 2020
Now…
let’s thrive in 2021!