May 21

May 21 Wellness within Illness

Health setbacks happen to the best of us.

Sometimes we are just not "well" physically and/or mentally. Health conditions or just 2020 can override our efforts. We can feel stripped of our comfort blankets. Searching for a shovel to dig ourselves out of our hole. What is in our resilience tool kit? How can we get through this? How do we reset our wellness goals and be practical when faced with health adversity?

“Start from where you are at to get to where you want to be.” - Sharon Looney

Last week, in the height of COVID19 I ended up with emergency surgery. My afternoon virtual Yoga was not a priority at that time. Neither was being productive at work or watering my new herb garden. Pain management, communicating with next of kin family members and breathing became the priorities. Trying to find calm in my mental chaos was my newest "new normal" goal last week. Out of my house where I felt cocooned (and claustrophobic) with my family for 50 odd days and suddenly isolated in a hospital room. Not exactly feeling like a butterfly.

How on earth can you have wellness when you are sick or stressed?

Talk:
- A problem shared is a problem halved. I think I told everyone I was sick.
Listen:
- Relaxing music before surgery on my headphones was my way to gain control of my emotions and breathing.
- I also played "wake me up when it's all over" in my head while being put under general anesthetic because my humor is dark and it made me feel better as the doctor put me to sleep.
Express yourself:
- I definitely shed a few tears.
- I also shared laughs. How ironic was this situation, promoting health and wellness, and here I am stuck to a drip with antibiotics.

The point is that even in the worst situations we can still seek wellness. Wellness doesn't have to "look" impressive from the outside like a Himalayan hike. The act of the pursuit is wellness in itself. For me, taking small practical steps: Talk, listen, and let it out. Reaching basic but wonderful physical and mental wellness recovery goals like smiling, getting out of bed, showering, a slow walk, that first meal after surgery, getting discharged from hospital, and being reunited with my family safe at home felt like I just climbed Everest.

Now please ask yourself does it even matter what wellness "looks like"? Ask yourself what wellness FEELS like [for you]. Now. Think practically. Reset if you must and hang in there!