Wellness

Lessons from the sidelines

Published on by BeGroundedInGrace

Sometimes life throws you curveballs. 

Sometimes you can swerve, and sometimes you get knocked down. 

If you have been knocked down in the past (or maybe you are right now), I know what it’s like, I have been there and it is hard. 

You can choose to throw yourself a pity party, or you can choose to see every challenge or trial as an opportunity. And I believe everything happens for a reason. 

After a very unexpected diagnosis and subsequent heart surgery, I was “benched” for quite awhile. I had several complications and a long, difficult recovery. Not the situation a healthy, mid 30s, wife and mom of two boys wants in any way, shape, or form. 

My view from the sidelines afforded me a lot of time to think, evaluate, learn and grow. Here are some lessons that I learned from the sidelines:

  • Healing is NOT linear. This one was a hard pill to swallow. I am doing everything right, why am I taking steps backwards? There are good days and hard days. No matter what you’re going through, we need to give ourselves grace and plan for those less good days. Healing or progress in any struggle we may be dealing with, is not always going to be that perfect straight line we imagine. And that is ok. We need to accept that and persevere regardless. Stay positive and keep your eye on your end goal.
  • Change is inevitable, growth is optional. My situation was completely out of my control, but instead of anger or resentment, I could choose growth. I can turn a tough situation into an opportunity. I can come out of this stronger than before, both physically and mentally (and I have!). Some things may never be quite the same, but I can choose gratitude for all that I still have, and all that I accomplished and earned back. 
  • Your circumstances do not have to define you. Through hard work, determination, perseverance and the right mindset, you can overcome adversity. You can accomplish your goals in spite of your circumstances, and they do not have to dictate what those goals are. While life may knock you down, you are in control of your own success. Put a roadblock in my way, I will find a way to rise above. People thought I was crazy to think that I could climb a mountain just six months after my surgery, but I believed in me, and I DID IT!
  • Celebrate all the little things. When you are going through a hard time or working towards a big goal, sometimes the smallest steps feel like the biggest victories. And those victories don’t have to look big to anyone else, but you recognize the wins for what they are- and celebrate! This keeps you positive, grateful, and the forward momentum going. You can accomplish great things, one step at a time. 

Our situations may look nothing alike, but no matter what you are going through, the lessons are still the same. 

Whether you are currently on the sidelines or not, I hope you find this encouraging, because I am here to tell you that YOU can do great things. You can get off the bench, and do whatever you set your mind to. That doesn’t mean it won’t be an uphill battle, but with determination and gratitude you can persevere. 

With Grace,

Stress. Why we should care, and what we can do.

Published on by BeGroundedInGrace

Stress is such a big topic, it’s constantly being talked about, but why should we care?

Our society pushes the busy-is-better, on-the-go lifestyle, and it takes a toll on us. Sometimes you get the feeling if you’re not stressed…you’re missing something!

As this stress fueled lifestyle becomes the norm, people start to notice the detrimental effects on their physical and mental health. Stress was created as a way to deal with and get us out of hard or harmful situations; it was not designed to be a baseline for how we live our lives.

When you feel stressed you release elevated levels of the hormone cortisol. As nature’s built-in alarm system, cortisol helps us with mood, fear and metabolism. It helps to regulate many processes including your circulatory system, your metabolism and energy.

At high or continually elevated levels, cortisol has many negative effects in the areas mentioned above, such as:

  • Elevated blood pressure and heart rate
  • Increased blood sugar 
  • Disrupted sleep cycles
  • Mental changes- depression, anxiety
  • Increased appetite (especially for sugary or other “quick fix”/comfort foods)
  • Weight gain
  • Increased muscle tension, leading to chronic pain and headaches

It is easy to see the short and long term implications of these stress induced issues, but what can we do? It’s not like all the life, job, family, relationship and financial stress is going to magically disappear.

But there’s good news! We can learn to spot the stress and manage it better! 

The Importance of Addressing Workplace Stress -- Occupational Health & Safety

If there are areas of your life where you can put up healthy boundaries or get out of certain situations/relationships, do it! But for all the stress that we cannot avoid, here are a few practical ways to help you manage your stress levels:

Seek out calm. Find places or activities that help alleviate tension and help to clear the mind. Seek out a quiet space, maybe you play calming music or enjoy soothing scents of essential oils such as lavender. Praying, meditating, reading and journaling are some examples of calming activities. 

Just breathe. There are many different breathing techniques out there, find something that works for you. The truth is that the majority of us don’t utilize the power of our breath or its many benefits. Did you know that six deep, slow breaths are enough to reset your nervous system? Give it a try! 

Get moving. The power of simply moving your body has the ability to deeply change your mood and reset your thinking, not to mention the numerous physical benefits. Walking, yoga and Pilates are fantastic low impact ways to connect to your body mentally and physically. Exercise in general is a way to get out frustration and nervous energy that is not serving you well.

Nourish your body. Getting more sleep, and making rest a priority is essential. Sleep deprivation puts you in a stressed state, making it harder to deal with the stresses that come up during the day. Drink more water – hydration is another simple way to care for your body. Also nourish your body by feeding it the proper fuel. Less junk, more real food, especially fruits and vegetables that have the necessary nutrients our bodies need to be healthy. 

As a medical professional, I cannot stress the importance of managing your stress with simple, healthy solutions. Continue to seek out what works for you, because it’s going to look a little different for each unique person and their circumstances. If you need additional support or ideas in this area, don’t hesitate to reach out! 

With Grace,