Inspired by my friend and colleague, Lillian Lartey, Wellness Coach and her Newsletter this week, I have taken a look at when life throws a curve ball and the effect this has on overall health and wellbeing.
Lillian refers to the unexpected things that happen. It could be suddenly finding yourself in pain, or struggling with a severe illness,
or possibly when those close to us are suffering — and the effects on our lives and wellness that this can bring. We might find our plans are interrupted, with a bit of a jolt, something that stops us in our tracks and changes what we thought this week, this month or even this year might look like. It throws us off course and this can make us feel frustrated, disappointed, even a little lost because suddenly, what we thought was normal doesn’t feel quite as steady
anymore.
What Lillian shares are three simple anchors that she has used when finding herself in this situation. These anchors are:
- vision — where we place our attention
- tools — what we have available to us
- support — who we allow in.
Vision — where are we looking?
It is so easy for our focus to narrow when something shifts with our health or body and it
is unexpected. We might find ourselves focusing on what we can’t do, what has changed and what feels difficult. Completely valid feelings which can make us feel quite heavy. But we can use our Vision to look at what is still available to us, what can we do today even if it looks different. Look for the small moments of progress, comfort or ease, and allow a little more balance in what we see.
Tools — what is still within our
reach?
With uncertainty comes the feeling that everything has been taken away, but there are still tools available to us, they just look different than before. For example, slowing down instead of speeding up, adapting rather than stopping altogether. I often refer to this when I am teaching — we don’t have to do everything, but we can usually do something, and that something could feel small, but could be incredibly powerful.
Support — we don’t have to do it alone
If you are used to being very independent, asking for help can be very difficult. Many of us are used to managing, coping, getting on with things, but when experiencing a ‘curve ball’ it’s not a sign of strength to carry everything on our own. It should be a sign to reach out, ask for help, share how we are feeling, lean into the people around us. It could be family, friends, or people within our community who will
support us exactly as we are.
The thread that runs through all of this is that when things don’t look the way we expect right now, it doesn’t mean that we can’t move forward, it just means we have to take a different path for a while. We might need a little more patience, a little more care, and kindness to ourselves, but it is something to hold onto.
Here is the link to Lillian’s Newsletter, where she provides what she feels is important for our overall health and wellness. You can read all her Newsletters from there, and subscribe and follow her on the socials too.
Have a good week folks: keep looking, moving, and feeling good.
With love and support,
Jane
xxx