“So, Leslie, by when are you going to take some time for self-care.”

Ouch!

I could SEE the incredulous look on her face, despite the fact that she was actually on the telephone!

Two things were immediately obvious:

• She was right. I need to get back to my self-care routines.
• How her friend felt and what was going on for her were more important than making that next sale soon.
  Thanks, Jen.

I knew full well that I wasn’t going to get out for a bicycle ride, my #1 go-to for exercise (it was too late in the day), so I replied,

“Well, I could go for a short hike up Broderson before I go pick up my Talley Farms veggie box this afternoon.”

So I did.

Truth be told, my personal life has been fraught with a ton of changes and turmoil lately.
We recently sold the house that I my X and I shared for nearly 30 years and I’ve been looking for housing in the current environment, amidst clearing out 30 years’ worth of stuff.
That’s stressful enough on its own.
And I recently moved into a shared living situation tentatively. But I only planned to be here for a few months.

Now, because of the current market, I will likely be here longer than I originally anticipated. While the place isn’t terrible, it’s far from ideal for me.

I have had some other changes going on in my life and relationships as well.

Of course, when you’re self-employed there are always changes in business.

In short, It’s been a lot.

Suffice it to say that so much has been going on and I’ve gotten out of many of my routines.

Yes, even me.

The “in your face” reminder was exactly what I needed.

And I’m grateful.

So, I hung up the phone and completed a couple of other quick tasks. Then I got in the car and drove up to the Broderson trailhead. I was about 2 minutes into the walk when I realized I had left my phone in the car. Knowing full well I’d be tempted to just get back in the car if I returned to it, I just kept walking. So I can’t even tell you how far or how long I hiked.

All I know is it was short enough that it wasn’t dark when I got done and long enough that I felt about 50% better. The exercise had helped.

And the veggies also led me to have a decent meal for dinner. I did a quick stir fry of shishito peppers, broccoli & garlic, made a simple salad & added a little leftover braised tofu. I had a plate filled with delicious greens; another thing that hadn’t happened in several days.

Now, I know both from science and from my experience that greens really help clear your head. And I know the power of self-care. But I was too “in my head” to be present to that recently. Well, it did its magic.

I woke up this morning feeling significantly better.

I still don’t have all “the answers” to all the various dilemmas in my life.

But today I’m grateful for the opportunity to be in the learning & discovery stages about all of it.

And oh yeah, and I’m also grateful for the opportunity to show you that as a coach, I’m not very different from you.

Only that, I am usually more able to pick myself up quickly & get back on my feet (till the next time). And I usually know what to do to bring about the change in what I want to see & feel in both my mind and body. But I still do stumble and fall and I always will. It’s part of the human experience.

My self-care routines leave me feeling at peace in spite of life swirling around me. That can happen for you too.

I’d love to hear how you resonate with this little authenticity reveal.

And, if you mention my name when signing up for a Talley Farms veggie box, we each get $5 off our box. https://talleyfarmsfreshharvest.com/

The post Grudgingly Accepting My Own Medicine appeared first on Dr Leslie K. Empowered Wellness.