Progress Through The Mess
I believe the secret to staying healthy as we get older and go through health issues is this:
Progress through the mess.
This has been on my mind a lot with my surgery coming up, fibroid symptoms getting worse, + my personal life making everything harder right now.
In other words, I’m in the mess.
So how am I still making progress? Here’s what’s helping me:
I’m accepting my reality. Things are hard right now, and they won’t be perfect. Accepting this helps me do the thing anyway.
I commit to doing what I can. Can’t workout for 45 minutes? I’ll do 15. Can’t get 10k steps? I’ll still go for a walk.
Planning is non-negotiable. I plan my meals the night before, every night, so the following day is easier.
I’m listening to my body. Some exercises have gotten harder as my fibroids have grown. I accept that, modify as needed, and keep training my core + pelvic floor anyway.
I’m asking for help. We hired someone to clean our apartment for the first time ever!
I celebrate my wins. Doing an easy workout when I can’t make it to the gym = celebration. Hearing my body + modifying instead of pushing through = celebration. Going to bed without my phone = celebration...
Nothing has been a bigger game changer than celebrating myself much, much more often than I beat myself up.
The magic is in the journey, and a journey without self-compassion is no fun at all.