Being Gentle with Myself

A little jumbled but I LOVE it. Seen in Chicago.

Hi friends, it’s been a minute. I had so many posts that I’ve wanted to do and went into this year planning to get back on track and more regular with my blogging and then I sprained my ankle. #wompwomp Two and half weeks later, I’m much better than I was, but I still have a ways to go.

Being out of my routine, with (now) dull pain and frustration quietly gnawing at me all day, has certainly put a damper on things. The lack of endorphins from not exercising normally and not having a class to wake up for in the morning (dawn patrol/rooster here) have really taken a toll, not to mention that my sleep and hunger levels are so off. I have been second guessing my body cues, and often don’t know when and what I should eat. I’ve had my moments, but overall, instead of beating myself up about all of this, I’m giving myself permission to do what my body needs.

Yesterday I woke up at 11:58am. If you know me, you know how shocking this is. I flew (as best as one can with a sprained ankle) out of sheer surprise/fear when I saw the clock. My initial “Oh my God!” and “The day is now gone!” quickly gave way to, my body needs rest, it is working hard to heal itself, if this is what it needed, then I’m glad it got it. Similarly with food, while I’m not burning nearly the same number of calories as I do when healthy, my body needs nourishment so that it can heal itself and sustain all of its other processes. I’m being mindful to make smart choices (read: lots of protein and anti-inflammatory foods), but I’m also still having dessert everyday and making my weekly trips to my pizza parlor. Injury isn’t a time to punish my body or deny myself things that, while objectively not the healthiest, make me happy and therefore are part of a balanced and healthy life for me.

It’s ironic, I wanted to work on getting better at a self-care routine this year, and without even realizing it, have ended up doing more self care in the past two and half weeks, than I've done in a long time. The lessons I’ve learned and things I’ve been doing may not have been those I anticipated, but the mindset and time with my thoughts have been more beneficial than anything I had planned. As I continue to heal, I will remember to be gentle with myself and take the lessons and self-kindness with me. Now someone please get me back on a spin bike before I go nuts! 😋