Coughing too hard for self-care.

Hello friends. How are you? Staying healthy, warm, and well-fed? Those are my hopes for you, at least.  

It's been an okay couple of weeks. It seems like forever since I last blogged about my 2017 wellness goals/strategies... but it was less than two weeks ago, so... that may tell you a lot about how those strategies are going. 

Actually, things have just been busy. It's hard to focus on personal wellness when there are a thousand other pressing matters vying for top billing in your life (to estimate low). Seriously, though, self-care sounds like a no-brainer - feed yourself well, breathe, sleep, drink water - and yet is the toughest thing on my plate right now. The basics. Very hard. 

Anyone else? 

It's okay to admit it.  

I think women, particularly mothers, struggle with prioritizing themselves because of the cultural pressure to do everything, be everything, and so on. I say "particularly mothers" because there's this "be everything and do everything for your kids" attitude that is pervasive and corrosively problematic. 

That's an odd word choice, right? Corrosive. And yet that's exactly what these unrealistic, unhealthy attitudes and expectations are. 

Why do we think we need to pour ourselves empty each and every day? That's bonkers.

Friend, if you are feeling worn out, burned out, empty - you don't have to be.  

A friend of mine feels overwhelmed at home. Her partner parents and cares for their house differently than she does, and that stresses her out. I'm guessing some of you (including me) can relate to that. 

I have a secret for you (and my friend): you can let things go and the world will keep going. 

Let me say that again: you can let things go and the world will keep on doing its thing. 

It's important to understand that "letting something go" doesn't mean not doing something and expecting someone else (your partner, for instance) will do it. It means letting go of CONTROL. 

AHHHH! No! Not that! 

Yes. That. Control. Let it go. 

Nothing, I repeat, NOTHING,  is as important as your healthy, your sanity. There is no health without mental health, and there isn't health without physical health, and emotional health is crucial to both. 

So. 

Last weekend Jesse and I were fortunate enough to attend a Couples Wellness Retreat sponsored by the camping organization I work for and the presenter spent some time talking about energy. The adrenal system. Hormones. What drains us. What imbalances look like and manifest as. Suffice it to say, FASCINATING. I did some research (combined with the knowledge I already had but wasn't using) and began a new routine this week to start supporting my system and addressing my imbalances. Jesse is even pilfering some of my vitamins, that's how good this retreat was. 

Self-care, you guys. You have to make time for it. If you can't access the motivation to care or to act, then talk to your general practitioner. Seriously. Sometimes you need an extra boost to help your brain reset and remember what it needs. 

One final note before I say goodnight - we're looking at sectional sofas for our living room. Any recommendations? 

I lied, one more note - I have a rib cartilage/torn muscle/popped rib. I should maybe talk to my chiropractor instead of just putting this in my blog, but IT HURTS LIKE THE DICKENS. It's from coughing. Yeah. I cough hard. It's the pits.