This has been an interesting week for me. I started out in a bit of a funk — trouble concentrating, feeling moody, low energy. On Monday, I forced myself outdoors for a ten minute walk — that was all that I could muster.
On Tuesday, I was still not a happy camper. I tried to concentrate on my work in the morning, but my creative juices were not flowing. I headed to the gym late in the afternoon for a 50-minute gentle yoga class. Last week this yoga class was JUST what I needed, however this week I left in a down mood and still a lack of ability to concentrate. I had a bowl of ice cream after dinner to “comfort myself” and ended up feeling nauseous instead. The one positive from Tuesday was that I ran into a friend and former neighbor when I was leaving yoga class and made plans to meet for lunch at a later date. There is always a bright side!
I woke up on Wednesday, and I realized it was time for a major systems reboot! My diet had been pretty terrible since last week when I had a relative in town visiting. I wasn’t eating very much food, but my choices were not those that I know my body needs. I woke up with an urge to juice and had a nice blend of banana, raspberries, blackberries, orange, and a little flax seed for good measure. Ahhhhh… just what I needed! Next, I psyched myself up for an outdoor run. I didn’t really feel like running, but I told myself to focus on the end result — the fresh air, the vitamin D from the beautiful sun that was FINALLY out, and let’s not forget the endorphins! I downloaded a couple of new songs from iTunes to add to my running playlist, and I was off.
Before I hit the trail, I ran into yet another old neighbor that I hadn’t seen in years! Just the sight of her put a huge smile on my face and after our catch-up chat, there was nothing stopping me. I fired up Lady Gaga’s “Born this Way,” and enjoyed a nice run at the Palo Alto Baylands. I had forgotten how much I love that other runners (total strangers!) wave as they pass you, and I felt really blessed to be out there enjoying the beautiful day. I ate well, ending up randomly having Japanese food for both lunch and dinner. I went to bed feeling rested and content.
This morning, I opted for a more challenging Vinyasa yoga class and left feeling strong, recharged, and with an inspiration to share my week with you. Even as a Wellness Scientist I forget my own needs sometimes, but I have learned to smile at my imperfections and to embrace these moments as a way to recenter myself and decide what my perfect balance looks like today. Just like the yoga class that was perfect last week left me longing for more this week, I know that next week will present me with yet another opportunity to rebalance myself. That’s doesn’t scare me. I’m taking it one day at a time!
