Life Pause

On August 13, 2022, I had a heart attack. I had Open Heart Surgery. I had a quadruple bypass. These are not terms that I expected my almost 43-year-old self to relate to, but here I am. I have heart disease; I was genetically predisposed, and I wasn’t taking proper care of the body I’d been living in.

 Like you, I thought I was doing enough. I knew I had gained quite a bit of weight during covid, so I lost weight, I modified food choices, I started exercising, and I was managing my mind.

 It’s not that I wasn’t doing enough, it’s more likely that I wasn’t tailoring the changes to my specific body’s needs.

 I was fortunate that my body alerted me, with a very aggressive ache in my left arm that traveled through my chest and up my jaw.

I was fortunate that I listened to the screaming warning that my body provided.

 Are you listening to your body?

 Our body loves us, even when we are unkind and don’t return the sentiment. Take the time to befriend your body; be patient, be gentle, don’t rush and don’t deprive. Take the time to learn what your body needs so you can provide that nourishment. With curiosity, explore ways that you can be a better friend to yourself (to your body and mind, and then to others). One small change at a time can make a world of difference.