%20(1).jpg)
Taking care of yourself by developing healthy exercise, lifestyle and nutrition habits, that work and seeing change, feeling better in yourself and reaching goals takes time as well as commitment. Giving yourself grace, being consistent, patient and pausing to reflect back on how far you have come is important.
Step by step.
This really hit home when I was gardening this summer. I have neglected our garden a lot in the last couple of years because life has been busy and I just haven’t had the time (sound familiar?), that’s okay!.
At first I just looked at the state of it and felt overwhelmed. But I had to start somewhere. So I picked just one patch.
I wanted this patch to have beautiful flowers and shrubs flourishing straight away.
But it doesn’t work like that.
You have to weed out the bad to blend in the good step by step.
I needed to remove the weeds first or they would just take over and choke out the flowers. That takes time and I need to be patient. Set realistic expectations of how long that is going to take and be okay with that and not frustrated. With each weed pulled up look at how much clearer the soil is. Progress. Once those weeds are pulled out I can turn that soil, allow sunlight and rain, add compost to nourish the soil, and then plant those shrubs and flowers. It doesn’t stop there though.
I have to keep pulling those weeds out and allowing those plants to get enough sun and water and compost. Over time the more consistent I am at keeping on top of the maintenance of that patch the less often I will need to weed and easier it will get. The more consistent I am the more that time will be a part of my weekly routine and not a big task I struggle to try and fit into my day.
Then I can move onto the next patch and do the same or once I’ve initially pulled the weeds out of that patch I can add another patch to work on and so on. Eventually that whole garden will become much more manageable and part of my routine that I enjoy!
Getting alongside my husband in the garden, or the kids, rather than being out there on my own to begin with gave me motivation and kept me going. Having someone working alongside me. Support.
Then instead of looking at the garden at the end of one day and thinking man is that all I’ve done, there is still so much to do, and feeling disheartened and wanting to give up. I look back and think, yay I’ve cleared a good patch and tomorrow I can do a bit more. It feels good!!
There is also no point planning this amazing transformation that’s going to happen in 1 week with everything being ripped up, new soil and compost being ploughed in everywhere and all these fully established incredible plants being planted in and looking amazing. For most of us that is just not going to happen. Unless you have a big chunk of money to spend and a whole week off work/family life or hire someone to come in and do it all for you.
That would a bit like hiring a personal trainer and nutritionist to come over everyday, workout with you and cook all your meals and snacks for you and peep over your shoulder dictating your sleep, stress, water and food habits through the day. Then after a week they’re gone.
What’s going to happen the next week or the week after?
We have to form good habits that are sustainable and realistic for everyday life, for life and take responsibility.
Yes we need someone to get us going initially and invest in the right help and support to get us on the right track. Someone to help us with the tools to form those new habits and then be able to keep going and maintain those habits for life. Then when we hit a rough patch, things go pear shaped for a bit, we have the foundations and the tools and the knowledge to get back on it again and can ask for help and support to get us back on track again.
PATIENCE. GRACE. CONSISTANCY. REFELCTION. COMMITMENT
KNOWLEDGE. EDUCATION. SUPPORT
If you would like help and support for your health or recovery journey, whether it is postnatal, c-section, diastasis, pelvic floor or pregnancy than just drop me a message for a chat and I can see how I can help.