In writing this week’s post, I was thinking about where we were this time last year and quite frankly it was a sh*tshow.
We were still reeling from the George Floyd murder, Black Lives Matter protests and adjusting to the COVID-19 pandemic, which let’s face it, we thought would blow over by the end of summer. Who knew that 15 months later, it is still here (although somewhat abated) and rampant in many parts of the world.
My blog this time last year was about the “new normal” with our facemasks and antiseptic protocols. I was upbeat as the county parks opened back up and we were able to resume walking, with facemasks, of course. I really missed our walking group and was glad to get it started up again after a few months hiatus.
I was optimistic about the positive aspects of slowing down that we all had to get accustomed to, such as spending time in nature, spending time with family and pets at home, and nurturing ourselves in ways we had not imagined. Who remembers making lots of bread, cakes, pies and trying meal delivery services for the first time?
The lockdown meant many of us worked from home, and had to adapt to new routines, and how to manage Zoom, Googlemeet, Webex and Microsoft teams (or all of them).
Many people I know picked up or resumed dormant hobbies, such as needlepoint, quilting, and crafting. And some of us took courses online to learn new things. Why one of my friends has spent her time with her family inventing a game called 2020: The best year ever, which they are funding through kickstarter! How’s that for using your commute time wisely?
Yes, I know some of us packed on a few pounds during the last year. Stress eating is real. However, many of us started new fitness routines that fit into our schedules; walks at lunch, online yoga and group exercise classes done from the comfort of home.
And I am still hopeful about the future as this slowed down time has given us all pause for thought. How do I want to live my life? Am I doing meaningful work? Do I yearn to try something new? Have I developed a new passion? What am I grateful for? What can I do without? Do I need all this stuff?
I know that when I had to close my business location for several months it really knocked me for a loop. I had a hard time maintaining momentum, but I am still here. And I am happy to say that the reflective time did me good as well. I am ready to expand the outside activities to include Social Non-competitive Pickleball and will post updates here and on meetup.
I am excited to start offering coaching services that will include microbiome testing, along with very personalized nutrition, fitness, and mindfulness practices to help you optimize your health. Microbiome or “gut flora” testing is useful in maintaining a healthy gut, and much more, such as our immune system, our mental acuity and even our emotional health. This will launch in a few weeks, right around the Women’s Virtual Health Expo, and I will have a special offer for you at that time.
Don’t forget to register for that and also my Self-care Mastery class, which will be chockful of tips for creating an individualized self-care plan.
Stay tuned for more exciting additions to the wellness center, as we move through the summer. As always I am happy to serve this community of likeminded women (and men) who want to live their best lives. My priority is promoting your well-being through self-awareness. Let me know how I can help!