According to my good friend and teammate, Carol Cooke, I have come back from being a smushed apple. Not the baby-food-type-of-smushed-apple, but the steam rollered multiple times type of smushed apple. Far from the organic, sustainable, sunshine fed, ‘la-de-da’ type too.

It has been a wee while between drinks, and my last blog post was for World Mental Health Day. In this post I shared that I had been having a tough time. I am so grateful to so many people for their support and love during the steam rollered smushed apple days (#srsa ?!). As part of my journey back to some type of equilibrium, I have employed the following strategies:

  • Reduced my work hours – many thanks to my boss and team at the VICSES for their support
    • I have also swallowed my fear and used a sick day when needed for various ailments. This is a big step for me!
  • Working with Dr Jo Mitchell at The Mind Room for mental, emotional, and physical well-being
  • Started Tai Chi and Qigong with the legendary Master Tara Brayshaw
  • Placing greater emphasise on my recovery and sleep; I am up to 1 x 45/60minute session of mindfulness each week, as well as my minimum 15min daily practice. I am also enjoying a 6:30am alarm on rest days.
  • I have worked with the nutritionist, Kylie Andrew, at VIS to get my body out of starvation mode, boost my metabolism, and eat a lot of carbs!!
    • This has been interesting given my gluten and dairy free choice of food, but it is highly doable AND enjoyable. Buckwheat and gluten free oat porridge with berries, turmeric and ginger has become a favourite.
    • An upcoming blog post will be around this change, and my progression with body image and what I eat
  • Decreased social media engagement – both in terms of posting and time on the platforms
  • Smaller changes like a water filter, salt light globe thingies, and playing piano music more

I am still on my journey towards simplicity, sustainability and lagom (Swedish word for ‘not too little, not too much, just right!). I have still had times where I am in the red zone and doing too much. I have still had times where I am a blubbering mess and don’t know how to cope. BUT I have more energy, am generally getting sick less, and coping skills have been restored.

However, as part of my pathway to simplicity, sustainability and lagom, and recognising that:

  1. I am hell bent on qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics games this year
  2. I want to spend more rich face-to-face time with family and friends
  3. I want to be happier and improve my well-being
  4. Social media was becoming a significant source of stress

Given the above, I have made a decision to streamline my social media presence. Purely based on my preference, enjoyment, and visual learning style, I have decided that I will continue to be active on instagram, LinkedIn and my website blog. I will discontinue my activity on my twitter and Facebook athlete page. And perhaps now JOMO makes sense.

Don’t get me wrong – I think social media can be a wonderful tool for social change, awareness, and engagement. I am simply making a decision, akin to diet, to find something that works for me. Figuring out what is my jam (for the record, it is gluten free fruit toast with peanut butter and raspberry jam). It might change; this decision is not set in carbon fibre.

My thoughts are to aim for:

  • 1 post on instagram per week
  • 1 post on LinkedIn a month
  • 1 blog post per month

Again, this may change, but it is good to have a plan.

At the moment, it feels as if everyone I speak too is worn out, burnt out, and not coping. We are taking on too much, wearing our superhero capes, and not surviving and thriving in the world of 2019. So I am curious to know, how everyone else has perhaps has applied small changes to help create simplicity, sustainability or lagom?

Here is to small steps, and legs up, in the right direction, taken with love and presence.

 

Until next time,

Ride with a smile, ride with a purpose, ride in the moment,

Han