In keeping with my 2010 focus on gifts, I am happy to report that I have a real, genuine motivation to make some small changes for better health.  Let me emphasize small…

• I am monitoring my caffeine intake with the goal of drinking fewer caffeinated beverages and cutting myself off completely at a certain time of day, so that I sleep better at night.  For the first time in my life, I have purchased decaffeinated coffee.  I am also trying a caffeine free herbal Chai tea.
• I am exercising in little increments.  Now, I live hours from a gym, and I don’t have time or space to exercise for a large chunk of time, so I have started doing the stairs in the building where I work a few times a day, and walking for ten minutes at a time here and there.  I would like to do three ten minute walks during the day and several stair routines, too.

• I am placing a new emphasis on relaxation!  This is the best one, by far.  I am taking time for long baths, using scented lotion, looking at magazines, reading, enjoying my leisure time!  This is wonderful, and the best part is I am not being selfish–science proves that these rituals of relaxation are very important to control stress & be healthy.

I used to be one to look down my nose at such small changes, but now I find myself grateful do be able to do any small thing to improve my health and how I feel about myself and my body.

Also, I saw a piece of advice in regard to health that I am still meditating on–the suggestion was that every work or chore related “to do” on your list, should be balanced with one restorative, fun, relaxing “to do.”  Now, that’s really a shift in my thinking–to make leisure and rest the same level of priority with work.  It sounds revolutionary…and I am trying to incorporate it into my life…Gotta go work on my all-new to do list now!

One of the subjects discussed in Chocolaltherapy:  Feeding the Deepest Desires of Your Inner Chick is the way women tend to use food, primarily junk food as a temporary fix, a means of escape.  So, it is a good prevention technique to consider other activities that provide a sense of escape, a change in perspective, and yet are healthy.  I considered this, and realized a lot of my spare time activities are not that relaxing.  Example?  Well, working on my quilts is sometimes stressful (which could lead to a trip to the kitchen) because I am learning new skills.  I am not comfortable with what I am doing yet.  Not all hobbies are about relaxation.  Some are about achievement or learning a new skill.  For a true “escape” we need something that is relaxing!  The two activities that I thought of are reading and crocheting. I love to read, but most of the time, my reading method is a few pages here and there while trying to do other things.  This is not ideal!  But, oh, the joy of an uninterrupted hour to simply read and enjoy.  Sigh.  I also find the meditative motions of crochet and looking at the varieties of colors and textures of yarn very uplifting.  I haven’t crocheted in a good while because 1) I am running out of people to give afghans to, and 2) I am supposed to be working on my quilts.  However, after this reflection, I am thinking that I might need to start a project for pure relaxation purposes.  Plus, I will have a good stash of homemade gifts ready for the next birthday or wedding! The next question is most likely:  How on earth do you find time to do something like that with everything else that needs to be done in a day?  Schedule it.  Consider it preventive care.  For years I got up an hour earlier than I needed to just so I could sit in a cafe and read a book before work.  Making time to do things that I enjoy works in opposition to the feeling of being deprived.  This makes eating to soothe or escape less likely. [openbook booknumber="9780800731892"]

     A few years ago, I took a bellydance class with some friends from work.  We were all really excited about it–one of my friends in particular came up with the idea after seeing a troupe perform, surviving a bout with breast cancer, and recommitting to enjoying life more.  We are normal looking women with normal bodies.  We may have been nervous at first about our physical imperfections, but we soon forgot about them simply because bellydancing is fun.  It’ s good exercise.  And, it feels a bit exotic.  Now, I am too far away to attend regular bellydancing classes, but I do enjoy the DVDs.  The beginner workouts are fun and doable.  A good one to try is Luscious – The Bellydance Workout for Beginners.  You can ever wear a jingle-jangly belt over your sweats to add to the experience.

     More and more, I am realizing it is time to make good and overcome my resistance to exercise.  Why now?  Well, many reasons–my mini-stroke of a couple of weeks back is forcing me to take my health more seriously.  Plus, after reading The Power of a Praying Wife and various other books, I am realizing that exercise isn’t at all about being selfish or cramming some “me time” into an already busy day.  Exercise is necessary and important to feel attractive and energetic–this is a blessing to our husbands, kids, and everyone around us.  When we feel good about our health and our well-being, we are more likely to be open and friendly, and available to others. 

     One of my issues has also been the fact that I would have to drive a great distance to get to a gym, and I have a lack of in-home workout facilities.  The solution for me has been workout DVDs.  I bought the Leslie Sansone Walk Slim: Fast and Firm 4 Really Big Miles in January.  I did the complete workout once–including the 4th mile with the toning band that comes with the DVD, and was so sore that I didn’t do it again for six months!  This week, I have started again, and I am starting smaller.  The workout is divided by mile markers and a stretch, so it’s easy to just do one mile, or two miles and then skip to the stretch.  That is what I have been dong–it’s much more manageable time-wise and easier to be consistent.  Starting out with the full-workout is intimidating to me, but committing to a mile or two at a time isn’t so bad.  Leslie is an enthusiastic and encouraging workout leader.  She emphasizes keeping moving over perfecting every little move, and when you’re stretching your arms up, she’ll say something like, “Count your blessings, while your up there.”  I wish I had started with the three-mile workout because the feeling that I am doing the complete workout gives me more of a sense of accomplishment.  It works okay to adapt the longer workout, too.

     Earlier this month, my mom sent me an email with “anniversary” in the subject line.  I was intrigued.  Had I missed one?  When I opened the email, I found that my mom was referring to the date I broke my ankle three years ago.  She asked if it ever hurt or got swollen, etc.  It doesn’t–it healed so well that sometimes I forget which I ankle I broke.  It’s odd to me that I can look back on that “summer of the broken ankle” and see it as a happy time. 

     I couldn’t drive.  I couldn’t go to work.  My mom did my laundry and my grocery shopping.  My boyfriend at the time (now husband) came to visit me and brought me little presents to cheer me up.  I had my first full week off from work in two years.  What did I do?  I settled into a routine of resting, napping, reading, crocheting and watching DVDs.  I finished a record number of books, and two full-sized afghans.  I got excited when my boyfriend brought me fresh beans from the garden because it gave me something new to do–snap beans.

     When I went back to work, there was a mixture of relief and more stress.  Our handicapped accessible entrance was not very accessible, and I had a difficult time getting up to the 3rd floor where I worked.  I had to hobble my way to the door on crutches and then down a myriad of hallways to the elevator.  I couldn’t manage stairs on crutches.  I was frustrated much of the time because I needed to much help, and I thought it should be obvious.  Eventually, I learned to ask for help and people were quick to jump in and assist me. 

     From my very first day back, there was one woman, whose name I did not even know at the time, who went out of her way to help me.  She would hold doors and hunt down the building wheelchair and take me where I needed to go.  I also remember a co-worker that I did not know very well getting me a big, cold iced tea at the cafeteria, delivering to my desk with a straw and the words, “My treat.”  Another coworker and her husband took me to the bookstore one day after work.  Her husband carried my books and my purse while I managed my crutches.  I remember all of those kindnesses and I see how God used that time in my life to show me he was caring for me in many ways large and small.  It was hard to be so dependent on others, but God blessed me with the people around me and provided everything I needed.

     Similarly, I remember many years before this when I was in elementary school, my mother broke her foot and was house ridden for a while.  I know this must have been difficult for her, and physically painful, but what do I remember?  I remember being excited that Mom was home.  I remember reading her a good chunk of The Little House books when we got tired of watching television.  God can take out times of physical pain when we are “sidelined” from our regular lives and bring good from them. 

     Most of this afternoon, I haven’t moved much except from sofa to bed, and bed to sofa.  Once again, I am trying to teach myself to rest, to take it easy, and to trust that the things that need to get done will get done.  I have received many caring and encouraging text messages and phone calls from family and friends.  I accept these and reassurances of God’s care over all aspects of my life.