So my earlier post, about Forty Bags, NanoWriMo, and Whole 30 got me thinking. (This is easy to do.) I’ve lately been catching up on my doctor visits, which means doing a lot of lab work too. For months, I’ve been feeling like the air is seeping out of my tires. I told myself that was post day-job adjustment, except I quit the day job more than year ago. I’m adjusted already, and loving the change.
Then I decided it was the summer heat sapping my energy. Or traveling too much, or too many writing deadlines. I had all kinds of reasons for ignoring my own fatigue.
But I truly have no juice, and that’s on top of the chronic no-juice condition I’ve been battling since my early thirties. (Yes, the onset of symptoms coincided with the onset of motherhood. Pure coincidence.) I’m prone to iron deficiency anemia and pernicious anemia, I have Lyme disease, and then there’s ye old Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. None of 
those conditions actually hurt, and I’ve had them all for years, but I figured it was worth doing the labs because seriously… no juice. No physical energy, not much mental momentum either, and I make my living with my mental momentum.
Turns out I’m getting about half the thyroid medication I need. Well, heck. That’s easy enough to fix, but it’s not a fast fix. Thyroid medication can take weeks to move the metabolic needle, and that’s if the dose is correct and a bunch of other pieces of Swiss cheese line up correctly too (manganese, selenium, molybdenum… whatever that is).
So I started taking the higher dose in early November, but if the problem is thyroid alone, the best case is that nothing will kick in until about Christmas. So I did a reverse-Lent, reverse-Whole-30, reverse short-burst-of-high-discipline, and instead gave myself permission to ditch the step-counter for the whole month of November.
I aim for 10,000 steps five days a week, even though the studies data is, you get most of the benefit from the first 3000 steps. Without recourse to the tread-desk, I usually hit around 3000 steps a day just between trips to the horse barn, grocery shopping, and pet food runs. I figured 30 days of reduced activity while I waited for the meds to kick in might not be a bad idea.
It was a GREAT idea. I stopped checking the step-count on my phone ten times a day, and anything that puts the phone in my hand less is a benefit. My hips didn’t hurt as much. I caught up on some sedentary tasks, I got thoroughly back in the writing saddle 
after weeks of travel earlier in the fall. I judged contest entries, and read some great books. I enjoyed being a spud, because I knew come December 1, I’d be back at the tread-desk, and because I’m still off to the horse barn a couple times a week.
So now it’s December, and yes, I did my steps today, but I think I will build periodic step-fasts into my year. There are just some seasons when putting down a burden or obligation for a time is the smart, kind, prudent thing to do. The holidays and cold weather (in the northern hem) are looming. Is there something you can put on hold for a few weeks? A reverse-Lent that might make your life easier?
To one commenter, I’ll send a $50 Barnes and Noble gift card.
During December, I tend to add more things to my life. Holidays, and holidays with many family members tend to do that. But in January, ah, that’s when I cut back and love it!
With rough winter weather here in the Midwest, we are often forced to cut back when it’s too cold or snowy to go about our usual lives. I look forward to the Snow Days just as much as any elementary school child. We are forced to slow down and stay home. It is during those times I collect myself for the rest of the year.
During January, I make sure to have ingredients for favorite winter evening suppers in the frig and freezer. I stockpile books and interesting teas. I often gift my sons with extra warm gloves or flannel lined jeans or thermal shirts for Christmas in preparation for what I know will come.
In the normal course of things, I don’t consciously put things on hold but it happens anyway. It’s those times I feel better and less stressed and leads me to believe I should be doing more *cutting out* and *putting on hold*. Unless I am forced to, it won’t happen I don’t believe.
When I was working many years ago part of my job was to regularly appraise my care team.If there was concerns,issues,problems these were often picked up(if they had not been observed already).Part of appraisals are positive relating to a person’s job performance and themselves and their future.It identifies many things.Understanding the concern and sharing it often works.However I myself am the worst at recognising or accepting that my aging body/mind is performing sluggish(like wading in mud).Eventually I did take my body to the doctors and few weeks of tests revealed that I am suffering from a bad case of self denial.ADMITTING I’M GETTING OLD.My doc gave me a lecture about pacing myself,good diet and exercise and most of all that I am not a spring chicken anymore.In other words calm down,but still enjoy but at a slower speed.So I have taken this on and I no longer feel guilty when I have a day of not doing much because tomorrow maybe different.Things change.
I am going to put my dog club treasury job on hold for the rest of the month. Made a deposit yesterday, need to write a check today, and wait for another check to arrive. This volunteer job has become a part time unpaid position. It’s exhausting to hunt people down for bounced checks, deal with last minute requests and reconcile the books.
I am behind in my reading , reviewing and blogging. And I am tired. No energy.
Am caught up on my housework because I skipped the club dinner last weekend.
Maybe I need to put me first for a month? I see a nail appointment & cut n color day in the near future. And a nap.
I want enjoy Christmas, spend time with Rose, work on Novice obedience with Greg and finally teach Laci to sit AND stay and maybe watch a movie uninterrupted with the Mister. So, I will hang the “Gone Fishing” sign up for the month.
Try doing extra clean keto on a permanent basis. It lowers inflammation, which in turn lowers the dose of thyroid meds required for many of us, plus has the benefit of better seats in the saddle as the side effect is losing copious amounts of weight without feeling hungry. Yes, you have to give up traditional bread (almond flour turns out to taste way better to my mind) but the sudden surge in energy + clarity of thought makes me frustrated for what I could have been enjoying in my 30s & 40s.
I actually started this last December when a not up to date doctor informed me I’d be on gout meds for the rest of my life or endure agonies of the damned. As this stuff killed my father, I went looking & was fortunate enough to find someone practicing THIS century’s medicine who informed me what ailed me could be fixed via drastic dietary changes many less disciplined were unwilling to make.
One year, a bunch of relearning what and how to eat (intermittent fasting isn’t hard once that corporate-generated food pyramid goes out the window, and a 47 pounds that I never thought I’d lose, my labs are suddenly “normal” for the first time in my entire life! I’m down to glaucoma drops & minimal thyroid only when women my age are expected to be gulping statins & other nasties by the handful. The nodules in my neck dissolved, my skin is so clear Regency misses would kill to have my complexion, & I bound out of bed at dawn ready to jump out of my skin with vim & vigor.
I gave up all meat other than oily fish & organic eggs to get my uric acid levels to normal, but it’s offset by eating my way through the flavorful sheep & goat cheeses available at the local organic purveyors. My tastebuds have reset and things are so much more flavorful not drowned in sugar & preservatives.
If I sound evangelical on the subject, it’s because I’m losing you many friends to what I now recognize are preventable conditions directly linked to chemical/GMO poison passed off as food. Yes, it took a year of my life to reverse the damage done to my body, but it didn’t get messed up overnight either.
You’re a whiz at research. Let your fingers do the walking & see if changing your chow works for you. I’d like you writing another 40-50 years. I won’t say it doesn’t make eating a challenge while traveling, but your well being is worth it.
I tried keno for about 3 months last year. If I stuck to a strict meal prep, I could stay on it. It was tough to give up carbs and sugars ( which are my bug a boos). I lost 15 pounds but it came back when I went off. I am going to take a second look at kerosene or a modified version.
Congrats to you for sticking with it and making it work for you.
I have a lot of clearing-things-away and cleaning to do before Christmas Eve in order to have the family over – I’m contemplating not doing a tree since that takes a lot of time and energy (especially the hauling everything up and down from the attic – I want to decide this week since if I’m going to go thru the effort I want to enjoy it myself for a while.
We went away just the 2 of us for Thanksgiving. No family, no friends, no real schedule. It was so incredibly relaxing. I didn’t realize how much stress I was carrying around from just daily living, from work and post hurricane home repairs, and from upcoming stressful life events we’re trying to figure out. A weekend of downtime was just what I needed. Now it’s back to real life tomorrow (sigh)
Dear Grace
I put everything on hold fairly regular by being somewhere else. This only means a different set of things that need doing,but, and this is the crucial difference when I’m in my East Coast home the only person nagging at me is me. Although my best friend who lives next door thinks I should get out and see people more. That’s not nagging, that’s love.
Back at my main home, it’s December and nothing goes on hold until January but I do like the idea of putting my life here or some parts of it on the back burner for a specific period of time, maybe a week of not answering the phone or looking at email would set me up although I too have Lyme’s although not , I hope, all the other stuff. Also in the process of finding out. Joy.
I have just finished Forever and a Duke and enjoyed it thoroughly. I hope Lord Stephen gets his own HEA.
Thanks for all your books
I am so pleased for you that you are feeling better. I’ve never tried a tread desk but there is something so therapeutic about a stroll outside, appreciating what you see.
I’ve already had a gift card this year, fyi.
Good for you for taking a break. I am a big proponent of resting when you need to rest. I feel like 2019 had a lot of challenges and I have given myself permission to rest for December and catch up on things I enjoy. It is freeing to not monitor everything and focus on what feels nourishing, I have started a very gentle balancing yoga, and find myself smiling when I’m done. It isn’t quickly strengthening anything, or making me miraculously flexible, but I feel happier and calmer. I figure that is worth a lot.
I actually gave up something that was stressing me physically and mentally way beyond any benefit I was getting from it financially or emotionally – my job of almost 10 years. I could still manage to lift and carry 50 pounds multiple times throughout the day. However, with bulging discs in my back and arthritis in the vertebra it wasn’t a good idea to continue if I want to be able to move and travel when I am of ‘retirement’ age. It was the right decision even without the short sighted “sell more now – don’t worry about long term trust” attitude along with the orders to treat associates with no resepect (I was a store manager) on behalf of the company owners.
I violated the never quit a job unless you have a new one rule of good sense, but I feel better physically and mentally, my husband and animals are happier that I am around more, I’ve been able to sort through cabinents and closets to give away things we haven’t used in forever, and I’ve lost close to 10 pounds in 2 months because I am eating better and not doing so at 9 at night because of working till close. We are spending less money eating out and at the grocery store because I am able to prepare healthier meals without useing more expensive prepared items. Did I mention my hubby is less stressed too?
I have an in person interview for a part time work from home position this week. Wish me luck!
I’m so glad you’re feeling better. Thank you for sharing your journey with us!
I’ve had to go Gluten free so I put hold on the “I must bake 10 different kinds of cookies and fudge and divinity for christmas” mindset. I told my family if they want a certain cookie, they must help make them, because I’m only a few gluten free cookies for myself.
Sorting out and getting rid of the clothes too small or that I don’t want any more
Last year I resolved to put aside my anger. Since I had been born angry and carried it righteously for over 60 years, I thought it might be a challenge. The lovely thing is that it was no challenge. Just accepting the task seemed to create a “dissolving zone” where my rage could not pass.
This year I am shedding the “I’m not good enough” habit. No more! I deserve! I am a glorious shining person who deserves whatever she wants! I see a radiance under my skin that shines always. That’s my goal.