Maintaining in Constant Change
Between the wacky weather, COVID ups and downs, and pregnancy, I am getting a first-hand lesson in constant change. Through it all, I’m trying to grasp onto what keeps me grounded.
Surprisingly, our in-office challenges that Karen was talking about last time ACTUALLY work! It’s amazing what a little sticker-motivation will do to the mind. It’s like I’m a toddler learning to potty train… I get so much satisfaction putting a whole sticker down. And yes, if you saw the picture of our chart, I am the one that rips the smiley faces in half when I’ve only completed one or two of the clean eating goals set for myself.
So what is grounding about that? Ultimately, it's knowing that my nutrition is a HUGE part of what’s keeping me going. For our most recent clean eating challenge, I am shooting for 75 oz of water at a minimum, 50 grams of protein, and 500 grams of veggies a day. A tall task for a pregnant lady who just wants to sit around and eat chocolate, so I feel at ease by checking those things off the list on a daily basis.
What else is grounding? Exercise. Even though my body is changing at a rapid rate and feeling FAR more restricted than I’ve ever been before, I feel that if I do something everyday, it clears my mind and helps me feel more aligned. Whether that be a walk with Curly, or something more aggressive like a spin or weight lifting class (very modified), my nervous system responds positively to movement. As of late, I’ve been leaning into more of the gentle, restorative yoga instead of the intensity! And it feels really good.
And who wants to get started on the weather?? Between the ups and downs in temperature, wild storms and wind, the environmental factors alone can be uprooting. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), many organ systems are thrown off by the elements. According to TCM, the spleen gets fatigued, the lungs get taxed, and the liver gets stirred up very easily. This usually kicks up weird symptoms for people like stress, headaches, overwhelm, dizziness, digestive issues, shortness of breath, etc. So stay grounded by keeping your eye on the weather! Alter your activity level or eating pattern based on what is going on outside.
Fun fact: Karen and I have noticed that on windy days, most of our patients are extra sensitive to the needles. It blows my mind every time, but it's true! It riles up the qi and makes for some spicier points!
Lastly, keep the same bedtime every night. I have a little alarm that goes off at the same time (10:00 pm) to remind me to stop what I’m doing and go to bed. The body functions really well on consistency and routine, so by having a few things that stay the same everyday, I have more head space for the unknowns, the stressors, the puzzles to solve. Let me know how you’re staying grounded as we make our way through 2021!
