You Get to Be the Priority: My Healing Journey

 

Understanding the Non-Linear Path to Healing

You get to be the priority! Healing isn’t linear in most cases, and my healing journey was no exception. I had made the bold decision to heal myself with a basic understanding of the human body, how emotions play a role in dis-ease, and the importance of the proper mindset. What I did not know was how to put all of this together to actually heal. I was researching online, reading books, and taking all the supplements I read would help me. I was learning to meditate and learning to slow down, but I was not happy about it. I was struggling with feeling like a victim, asking, “Why is this happening to me?”

Adjusting to a Slower Pace

I was so used to waking up in the morning and running to teach a fitness class, boot camp, or CrossFit. Then, I’d work out myself, train clients, get my girls off to school, take care of things at the Pet Resort, and make sales calls for my now ex-husband’s business. My central nervous system was wired for stress and going nonstop, so slowing down was painful!

Exploring New Avenues of Movement

I decided to try tai chi and yoga. I didn’t have the energy or strength for lifting weights or running, but I wanted to stay moving. I tried tai-chi a few times and stopped because it was too slow and it was making me crazy in my mind. Yoga seemed to be enough of a challenge for me. I learned to use my breath to get my body to relax into an uncomfortable pose. I started with Universal yoga, where the poses are held for a significant amount of time until you begin to relax and let go into the pose through the use of your breath. I learned, for the first time in my life, that I could use my breath to get through any uncomfortable situation.

I grew to love yoga, and it helped me begin to slow down and give my body the rest it needed to heal.

 Practicing Gratitude

I also began to walk down the road we lived on. We lived on a few acres set back off the road down a long driveway. I would walk down the road, look up at the house, and begin to give gratitude for someone walking up to the front door, knocking on it, and asking to buy our house. I would visualize this and give gratitude for it every day as I walked. This went on for months. I knew that my marriage was over. I knew that I needed time to heal and wasn’t in a place to start another business or work like I had been, so we needed to downsize.

 Letting Go of the Past

I loved that home. It was my dream home. I hosted Christmas every year for my whole family, and the house would be filled with 20+ people. I loved entertaining. In the summers, my brother and all the kids would camp in the backyard. I loved my garden and all the work I had poured into that beautiful home, but my time there was complete. It was big and expensive to maintain, and I needed to focus on my healing.

The Power of Gratitude

One Friday evening, my now ex-husband received a phone call from one of our neighbors. Someone they knew was visiting and loved the area so much that they wondered if we would be willing to sell our house. Long story short, that was February, and we were moving to a townhouse by May. Practicing gratitude was a powerful force in my life. I felt supported, and things were moving in the right direction.

Prioritizing Healing- you get to be the priority

I had passed on the pet resort to my sister. I had completely stopped coaching CrossFit, I was no longer teaching classes at the gym, and I closed my personal training studio. My main priorities were caring for my kids, homeschooling my oldest daughter, and healing. I got to consistently remind myself that -“you get to be the priority”.

The Foundation of Healing

The first step in healing is making yourself a priority and slowing down, slowing way down. You get to be the priority. Regulating your central nervous system is crucial. The foundation for healing is a calm, regulated central nervous system.

 Conclusion: Embrace the Journey

Remember, you get to be the priority. Healing isn’t always a straight path, but by prioritizing yourself and your well-being, you can find your way to a healthier, happier life. Stay tuned for more on the central nervous system and how to begin regulating it in the next blog.