Well, folks, it has been an interesting year. I’ll be glad to kick it in the rear and say goodbye. As many of you know I turned 50 this year (2024) and with that I realized that I hit breast cancer, turning 50, and menopause all within a six-month span…and they all hit me right back!
It hasn’t been terrible. In fact, I’ve learned and grown quite a bit this year; I’m just ready to start the next one – taking all I’ve learned (mostly the hard way) and apply it for an amazing 2025! I’m choosing to focus on the good things, the positive, the things I’ll be keeping with me going forward.
I’ve been working on being kinder to myself this year – easier with my body, less critical of myself in general, forming better habits for my health. And here’s the real shocker for anyone who knows what a stubborn-ass independent woman I am…I’ve started asking for, and accepting, help. I’m sure many of you have fainted reading this…for those of you still with me, read on!
I’m leaving 2024 behind feeling good. Really damn good! In addition to making the decisions I’ve made for helping myself get better/be better, I’ve been making changes in my daily routine (another shocker for those who know I’m a die-hard creature of habit!), and working with a health and wellness team to make other improvements in my life. And here’s what’s shocked me: it’s ALL working.
I want to tell you all about it in case any of you are thinking about making changes so you can feel better – not just physically, but emotionally, spiritually, and mentally, too. Buckle up, people, it’s a bumpy road! Please know that I’m not good about any of this every single day. Some days I ignore everything good for me completely. But what I’ve learned is that for every step backward I take I notice how I feel less good. Not in a critical way, just in a “oh, yuck, I don’t want to do that again – it really didn’t make me happy/feel good” way.
Here's a bunch of the little changes I’ve made and what each one did for me. If you want to know more about any or all of it, please send me a note – I’d be happy to share more.
I started believing what every healthcare professional has told me for a decade now – I’m severely dehydrated. I now carry a 30-ounce water cup with me everywhere and I drink the whole thing 3-4 times a day. My wellness coaches also told me to add lemon or lime to it to help add electrolytes back into my body, which I do. Aside from allowing me to try out every public restroom in the tri-state area, it really does make me feel better, physically – I’m less stiff and creaky and my skin looks better.
I drink at least 12 ounces of water as soon as I wake up…even before coffee (I know…unbelievable for the chick with more selfies taken with a steaming Starbucks cup than any other human, right! But wait until you hear the next one!) It sets up my metabolism for the day (or something like that) – it just feels right, putting something good for me in my body before invoking the screaming caffeine wakeup call.
I cut myself off after two cups of coffee in the morning. No more drinking a pot in the morning and another one mid-afternoon! I’m hoping this will help me STAY hydrated. Plus I noticed that the caffeine helps to wake me up, but only temporarily and then I was slumping over. Most days by 3pm I needed a nap. Without the afternoon coffee, I just drink more water and keep on keeping on.
I make the smoothies my wellness coaches recommended to help add many nutrients to my body early in the day. I use almond milk, spinach, blueberries, cacao powder and protein powder. Are you making that face? The one I made when they told me about it – all scrunched up and ready to heave at the thought of spinach in a shake? Yep! BUT…it’s really good. They also said I could use kale, but a drew the line there 😉. The smoothies are easy to make and definitely start me off with a good pack of energy.
I cut out most dairy, carbs, and sugar. I’m not totally strict about it, but I find that when I have any of those now and I go overboard I feel like total crap. They’re just things I don’t need and my body feels so much better without them. I never count the carbs or sugar in natural foods, but I try my best to stay away from processed/human-made starches and sugars. Aside from loosing that heavy feeling when I have carbs, I’ve lost the minor headaches I used to wake up to every morning.
Wine. My beloved Cabernet Sauvignon. I do my best to not drink. I rarely have wine at home anymore, but I go through periods where I can’t not. You know, because….life. I’ll go weeks without a drink, then suddenly I’m dragging home every bottle I can find. I’ve noticed soooo many good things that happen when I don’t have wine/alcohol and sooo many not-so-good things when I do. My plan is to be stricter with myself on this one in 2025. When I don’t drink I notice, my body feels less puffy, I start losing weight, I wake up more alert, I sleep and poop better (I’m sure you were dying to know!), AND…the less I drink, the less I feel I need to drink. Funny how that works!
I started using the energy tincture the wellness coaches gave me. I was skeptical at first. What are 5 drops of basically water going to do for me anyway?? And aren’t I just drowning it all out with my 16 gallons of water a day? But then I realized I pay for their advice, if I’m just going to be a stubborn ass about it, then I’m wasting my money and my time. So I stuck with it. No idea if/what it’s doing for me – it’s just one of those faith-based practices now.
No more cold-weather-wussing out for me. I take my dog on a 1.5-2.5-mile walk every day. No excuses. I’m like the USPS now – neither snow, nor rain, nor heat nor gloom – we WILL go for a walk, damn it! I try to do this in the mornings before showering and getting ready for work, but somedays it’s just more pleasant in the afternoon. It’s for physical fitness, but it’s also a bit meditative and good for my mental health. Additionally, it’s great social practice for the dog and every time he’s better behaved around people, I relax a little. I’m noticing BOTH of us have much less anxiety, and we’re both a lot more outgoing/nicer around people now. (I’m starting to think this dog of mine is teaching me how to be a better person!)
Ok – read this one then totally forget it! Promise? Good…thanks. I’m so embarrassed to admit that I smoke. I’ve smoked (off and on) since high school. It’s a terrible, ugly, smelly thing that I rarely let people see me do (unless you do it, too, then I’m all over it!) It’s probably the single thing I’ve berated myself the most about in the past several decades. And for someone who’s just been through a cancer batter, I feel like an idiot for still doing it. Although I do forgive myself because I know it’s an incredibly difficult thing to quit, especially during times of high stress. Did I mention I dealt with breast cancer, turning 50 and menopause this year??? I’m never “ready enough” to quit. But I know it’s coming. Yesterday I ordered herbal sticks online and I’m hopeful that they’ll be a good temporary substitute until I can get over the lack of tobacco and nicotine. I’m tired of my clothes and hair smelling like smoke and I want to give myself the best chance at good overall health.
There are so many positive things happening right now and some of them I just don’t know which change to attribute them to, but the combination of better habits and actions have had a really lovely effect. Overall, I get up in the morning and I’m not just awake, I’m alert in a way I haven’t experienced in years. My mornings, which used to last five+ hours (I mean, I get up at 4 or 5am, so I had time to spare, right!?), now last an hour and then I start moving on with my day. My eyes are brighter and my skin is rosier, smoother, glowier. I no longer routinely need an afternoon nap. I’m making more plans with friends and family. I’m being more mingly and social at networking and other events. (I used to be such an extrovert and I couldn’t figure out what happened – over time I just felt more introverted. It feels soooo good to enjoy being extroverted again.) I’m leaving my home office and working from my office office more often – which is also good for less snacking and smoking during my day. It just feels good to feel so damn good! And this upward spiral has me eager for more. Exactly how good can I feel?? Let’s find out!
So here’s to 2025 and feeling so damn good! Wishing you the same!
(And don’t forget, you promised to forget my bad habits!) Thanks – love you! xo
You had me at trying "out every public restroom in the tri-state area.'' I feel ya!!