Did you jump on the “new year, new you” bandwagon?
This catchy phrase is now trotted out every January as inspiration to help us make and stick to resolutions.
And I’m pretty tired of it for a number of reasons.
This week I did something that scared the crap out of me.
I signed up for Joyce Carol Oates’ masterclass on writing short stories.
I’d been resisting it for months, despite it being an easy stepping stone to one of my dreams: writing novels.
Because it feels safer to play small.
To be honest, I’ve never used an *actual* decoder ring.
I think they used to come in cereal boxes as toys?
BUT…
I have used a metaphorical decoder ring many times in the emotional realm.
Ok, I realize that sounds WAY less fun than the cereal box ring.
However, the personal payoffs you receive from decoding your emotions is pretty massive.
A couple weeks ago, the World Health Organization recognized “burn out” as a legitimate health issue.
There’s now even a diagnosis code your doctor can use to bill insurance.
Thank goodness this is finally being recognized as a legitimate health concern.
It may seem inconvenient and uncomfortable, but there's actually a giant silver lining to feeling burned out.
For just over 2 years now I’ve been building a skill that I never in my wildest dreams thought I’d participate in: rock climbing.
Reflecting on my experiences, I realize there’s been one particular insight that’s taken the full 2 years to come to fruition.
It’s the most important life lesson I’ve learned while stumbling ungracefully through this new skill set that terrifies me most days.
And that’s how to have a conversation with my fear.
Last weekend Chris and I went rock climbing at our local gym.
Before getting to the gym, we reviewed some techniques I needed to know to pass a test so Chris could progress in his climbing adventures.
I had experience with this skill set.
I knew what I was doing.
But I still failed the test (not to worry, no rock climbing husbands were harmed).
>> Why? <<
Your mental and emotional state affect your physical health in a big way.
The reverse, or how your physical health affects your emotions, is clearer to see.
If we have an injury and it takes awhile to recover, and we can get frustrated. Or if we have a nagging, chronic, health complaint, we can get depressed.
BUT, the other side of the coin is much, much more powerful for your overall success in remaining healthy, happy, and balanced throughout your life.
Healing should be easy.
Once we figure out the right trajectory, it’s a straight shot to feeling better.
Does this sound like your own internal monologue when you’re dealing with health issues, name?
How about these:
My body is broken and I don’t have the tools to repair it. It fights against me and I don’t know why.
If I ignore whatever is making me uncomfortable, it will go away.
I don’t have time to be sick.
If any of these sound familiar, you’re not alone.
Most people talk to themselves like this (including me!), believing that they are inadequate and incapable of healing.
This couldn’t be further from the truth.
We all have the capacity, it’s just whether or not we choose to accept the journey in front of us.
Imagine with me for a second that a good friend of yours — let’s call them Pat — says, “Oh, I’ve got to get going. I’m headed to my weekly spa appointment."
What are your initial reactions?
Be honest. It’s just you and a computer screen.
Envy? Anger? Criticism around his or her use of time and money?
Some of you might respond internally with a “Great! Good for you, Pat!”, and not dwell a moment longer.
But I think the majority of us would feel twinges of those aforementioned emotions.
Now you’re just confused and frustrated for feeling that way.
Wait for it….and now the guilt is setting in. A double whammy!
Why can’t we be happily unattached regarding our theoretical friend Pat?
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Hi. I’m Dr. Liz Carter.
I’m here to help you go from just surviving to fully thriving.
Achieve all you want out of life through better health and a deeper understanding of yourself and others.
Here, take my hand. Let’s get started.
