30/60/90/182.5/365 Day
Wellness Study
As I approach my 50th birthday at the end of 2020, my health has become the primary focus. My daughter also just gave me a grand reason to stick around longer! Not that I didn’t care about my health before, I just didn’t make it a priority like I should have. But, I am not allowing myself to play the woulda, shoulda, coulda game. I am where I am , and this is where I begin. A few years ago, I began working with dōTERRA Essential Oils and began my journey with Essential Oils. I have seen amazing results in the current ways I use the oils. There is still so much for me to learn. When I sat down to really examine the changes that I wanted to make in regards to my health, incorporating Essential Oils into the picture even more was a no-brainer. This Wellness Study will be two-fold, showing results of changes made mid-life and the effectiveness of using Essential Oils. I hope you will stick around for the next year to see my journey unfold. I need all the cheerleaders, challengers, information sharers, hecklers, and journey partners I can get!
WHAT? WHY?
I have decided to catalog my progress for a few reasons. Truly, there is a treasure trove of reasons in my heart, but these are the big ones.
1. Accountability. I believe that putting myself out there for the world to see is a great motivator for me. It’s uncomfortable, raw, and revealing. This is exactly what I need. I am a hider, not even going to deny it. I built a life that I could retreat into without allowing the challenges of life to find me. While I convinced myself that I was protecting myself from all the bad out there, I blocked a lot of good as well. This one is probably going to be the hardest for me, but I am committed to doing the hard things. What's the saying?, “Difficult roads lead to beautiful destinations” I am ready for that beautiful destination!
2. Change of life. I am approaching 50 years of age and recently found out that I am in Menopause. I have many friends that are also in this stage of life. I am hoping that I can provide some knowledge through things I will be learning and also some humor to get us through this next phase of life.
3. Education. I am fully committed to sharing what I will be learning over this next year. This will be about health, fitness, Essential Oils, menopause, and being a brand new Grandma! (or Glama, as I will affectionately be called!)
4. Leadership. I have 4 people that have always watched me very closely. I now have 6. This is a responsibility that I do not take lightly. I wouldn’t say that I have failed in this area, I just didn’t give it it’s just due. I don’t listen to people based on things they say, I listen to their actions. People are watching whether you know they are or not. Integrity is the cornerstone of how I want to live my life on purpose. Not everyone will agree with me or even understand what they are “watching”. That’s ok. That doesn’t mean I have to deviate from my beliefs. I don’t live my life to make people like me, the right people will like me based on how I live my life. But, I can make them curious to learn more. Whatever I am doing in my life works for me. I have many people that I get great ideas from but I don’t live my life like theirs. It’s a delicate balance of awareness and disconnect.
PLAN OF ACTION
So here is the plan, Stan. I should actually premise this with the acknowledgment that I know the plan can (and probably will) change. But a solid foundation is a good place to start.
I used to think that everything needed to be mapped out to designated times in order to incorporate them as habits. Then I began to watch my 17 year old, whom is an extremely regimented person. I finally asked her what she does to keep on track. She told me that the list of things that she wants to make sure get done every day have no times attached to them. Her days are different, but the list remains the same. So it’s a matter of getting done, not getting done at 10am or not at all. This was a huge a-ha moment for me! So, I sat down and made a list of the items that I wish to be completed each day. Again, as I change, I know the list will as well. For now, here are my “must-haves” for each day.
Sleep
Work
Yoga
Walking
TV
Reading/Audible
Writing
Meditation
Games/Facebook
Self-Care (which some days may just be as simple as a shower)
Cleaning the kitchen
Cleaning at least one room/box
Take Thyroid medicine
Vitamins
Internally Essential Oils (Slim & Sassy wrap, Fat Bomb)
Diffuse Essential Oils throughout house
ME
To give you a little background on what will drive some of my actions, here is a list of “me”
* I am overweight. No bones about it, I am. This is not good with a history of heart disease and diabetes in the family. I have decided that I will be sharing my starting weight and measurements at the end of this journey. I am not quite ready to go there yet!
* I had my Thyroid removed in 2000. This is something, I won’t say I regret, but that I wish I had done more research on, but alas this is where I am at. I was so sick at the time and not thinking clearly, so I will have to say I worked with what I had at the time. Hindsight is always 20/20, so again I will not play the W/S/C game!
* I heard a quote from Bob Harper on The Biggest Loser years ago that went something like this, “You are only as young as your back is flexible” So as it stands today, I am 85. Years of sitting at a desk hunched over a computer, 4 epidurals, not remaining consistent with my Yoga practice and carrying around a size E chest for too many years took a toll on the old spine. I have a lot of relief in my upper back since my reduction surgery, but the lower back is a goner!
* This may be TMI for some people, so fair warning! After giving birth to my youngest son in January 2008, I have had a handful of menstruation cycles since. I am being generous with this number. I was only 37 at the time, so that should have been considered normal. Over the last 12 years however, I have visited many doctors and specialists to try to identify why. I was greeted with, “are you sure you even want it back?” and “wow, you are quite the anomaly!” Well, yes, I wanted it back. That’s what my body was supposed to normally do for at least the next 10-13 years. And, thank you for looking at me like a freak while offering no help. I believe that this altered not only my “female” system, but my mental status as well. I wish that my health care had been taken seriously, but alas it never was. Truthfully, it’s what made me finally take my health back into my own hands. I am now in menopause, so the lack of attention to my lack of menstruation has now become a moot point.
* My body is riddled with inflammation. I have tested negative for arthritis, thankfully. I know inflammation seems to be a buzzword that is thrown around at a lot of different symptoms and diagnoses. * I suffer from Anxiety. It used to be so bad that I would end up in the emergency room. Thankfully that hasn’t been a part of my life since 2013. It more lingers about and makes my second guess myself. It needs to finally make a grand exit, never to be heard from again.
GOALS
1. Provide for my family doing a job that feeds my soul and serves my world.
2. Lose weight. A lot of weight. I am not looking to be a size 0, but a single digit would be nice. Health is the ultimate goal. I would mostly like my chances of a heart attack or stroke to be minimal.
3. Master my yoga practice. By the end of this study, I will be supple and able to do a handstand on command.
4. Cut sugar out of my diet. I would love to say 100%, but I am going to be realistic and say 75% gone.
5. Live on purpose with a daily regimen that supports a healthy lifestyle.
6. Build my Essential Oil knowledge and business.
CHECKING IN
I will be making weekly blogs posts to check in and report progress. Posts sharing recipes, ideas, and other information will be shared during the week as inspiration strikes. My daughter has agreed to help me catalog my physical process with a collage. These will capture the 30/60/90/182.5/365 time lapses. I am probably not explaining this correctly, but she is 17 so she knows better than I what to do!
I look forward to all the changes that are coming my way and hope you come along for the ride.
Let's begin...
No comments:
Post a Comment