Detox Thoughts…
I’m in the second week of a restorative detox with Simply for Life.
I had set the intention to do a bit of a reset with my nutrition after fishing season but wasn’t sure where to start. Learning about this detox seemed like a perfect fit for me. My main focus is to increase my energy and improve my digestion.
While I’m enjoying it, it hasn’t been easy. Days 2 & 3 were a struggle - I had a headache for just over two days straight. And though this is quite normal when cutting caffeine and sugar out, it was definitely not fun. I won’t lie, I definitely questioned if I’d stick with it but once I got past those days I was starting to feel a lot better.
(Side bar: I took a detox break to go on a road trip with my friend Bernadette. I didn’t go overboard with indulgences but did have caffeine, sugar and alcohol so I had to go through another withdrawal period…luckily it was only a one day headache the second time around!)
I’m learning that in addition to the digestive and energetic benefits I’m seeking there are many other things coming to the surface.
It was nearing the end of day 3 when I just instinctively opened the cupboard where I keep the chocolate. That’s when I realized what a habit I was in to always have a piece (or two, or more!) of chocolate as I’m winding down for bed.
While I think there’s nothing wrong with a daily piece of chocolate, it got me thinking about how many things we do in our life that are just automatic. Many of which serve us and our goals but there are lots that work against us too. And a lot of these are so automatic we don’t even realize we’re doing them (like opening that cupboard door).
Over the past few years I’ve been working hard on myself. This has meant creating and breaking a lot of habits in my life and, while it’s been rewarding, it hasn’t been an easy journey.
For a while I felt like I was going through the motions of life, doing my best (I thought) but honestly I was just trying to survive a lot of the time. I wasn’t being intentional about my life because I was so burned out. The survival mode that my system was in didn’t allow for much more than getting through the day.
I was so thick into the fog that I didn’t even know it. For a while I needed a nap every day just to get through. And while I love a good nap, I knew needing one so often meant something was out of sync.
My body was inflamed. My digestive system was off. I was exhausted.
It was time to do something differently.
At first I tried going back to things that had worked for me in my 20’s. The biggest thing I learned after making zero progress (maybe even negative progress) is that I needed to let go of expecting my past habits to work for me now.
That’s a tough one for the brain to understand. It worked before, it should work now.
I’m in my late 30’s (the big 4-0 is very close) and so much is different now. Peri-menopause is definitely a real thing that we’re all going to experience. And my biggest piece of advice is do not ignore the symptoms. Your life shouldn’t be lived in pain and discomfort - the more I learn the more I realize there are solutions to them but you have to be ready to advocate for yourself.
I knew what I wanted. To feel better, to feel like ME again. And after failed attempts at doing things that had helped me in the past I knew it was time to ask for help. I was so lucky to find a great health coach, Gineen Nicholls, who helped me build a plan specific to me to help me move forward.
I was fortunate to work with her for 18 months. Through this time I learned a lot and I think one of the most important things I took away from it was how to listen to my body. Now I trust that I can notice when things aren’t quite right before they become a bigger issue and I can seek the support as needed to navigate it.
Our health is a full time commitment. And I believe that without our health, we have nothing. So I’m staying committed to being as healthy as I can through the rest of my years. And that brings me back to my detox.
I’m following the plan as best I can and am proud of committing to it. My schedule isn’t consistent and we know I love to travel so I am unable to do the full 28 days straight but I’m making it work for me. Perfection is never the goal. Doing my best is.
And it’s important to do your best each and every day. That’s going to look different each day of course but there’s a great sense of satisfaction and pride that comes with sticking to doing something that is challenging. I’m making it work for me in a way that makes me proud and it feels rewarding each time I get through another day of it.
What have you been putting off because you convinced yourself it wasn’t worth doing if you couldn’t do it fully? I encourage you to revisit it and remove the limitations you’re placing on yourself. You may be surprised at what you can achieve!
