I haven’t been sick like I am now in a long time.
Today, the most exercise I got was waddling to the bathroom for tissues and NyQuil (that stuff works by the way). Thankfully, I’m feeling a little better – enough to sit upright and type this blog post. While being sick totally sucks, it also kind of doesn’t because the mandatory pause you’re inflicted with gives you an opportunity to reflect. Here are my thoughts on how getting temporarily sick with a cold can actually get you well in your life – once you emerge from bed and tissue land.
You Let Go Of Control And Everyone Ups Their Game
All of the people in your life that rely on you to do things on a daily basis actually have to do it themselves. Today my husband washed the dishes, my kids served lunch, my daughter packed tomorrow’s lunches, and I’m pretty sure they all got dressed and bathed. Or maybe they didn’t and they stayed in PJ’s all day, but what’s so bad about that? I loved watching them rise to the occasion.
To let the people around you do things for themselves more often.
You Appreciate The Little Things
Like walking up the stairs or eating a meal without feeling sick. I almost sprinted down the stairs (until my body wouldn’t move) when I woke up from my nap and I was able to breathe out of one nostril. Now I appreciate being upright and typing — and actually being able to think about more than what pill to pop. Our health is an amazing gift! How incredible is it that we do so much in functioning bodies?
Never ever take your health for granted and appreciate the little things every day.
You Are Entirely In Tune With Your Body
When was the last time you were entirely focused on your well-being? When you’re sick you do what you have to do to feel better. So you listen intently to what your body needs. Sit or stand? Sleep or read? Eat or drink? Cold or hot?
Listen more often to what your body needs to be well.
Your Illness Is Temporary And Your Wellbeing Is A Gift
I finished two books in bed today — Sick Girl and It Was Me All Along. It was coincidental that I was in middle of two books about sick girls. One physically sick, a heart transplant patient, and one emotionally sick, obese in her early life. Both struck me hard and I felt less sorry for how sick I felt compared to the suffering in this world. How blessed am I that soon enough I’ll be back to doing handstands, cooking, and running my life as an ordinary healthy woman?!
Quit feeling sorry for your temporary sick state and start feeling grateful for your health.
Almost Nothing Needs To Get Done Now
How long is your to-do list? If it’s anything like mine, I bet it never ends. I bet you can guess how many items on my list got checked off today. You guessed it, none. The remarkable things is — the world didn’t end and I’m not even stressed out about my list because everything can wait until tomorrow. We often over-prioritize the unimportant for the sake of success, productivity, or mental ease, which just leaves us with longer lists and undo stress.
Not everything has to get done today.
You Shut Up More And Listen
My throat hurt so much and my body was so weak I could barely speak. So instead, I listened. I listened to my kids for the hour that I dragged my body out of bed to have lunch with them. I recalled my vivid dreams and listened to the thoughts that buzzed inside my head. You know that little voice inside of us that often gets forgotten. It offers us understanding, love, and forgiveness.
Listen more closely to the people around you (and that little voice inside your head)!
