Control

Time and time again, we've seen when the going gets tough, Nan gets sick. All my dragging on the trail last weekend may have been a precursor to a bout of a virus. Clearly actual germs were involved- both kids had it 10 days before- but just as clearly (to me) the stress made it knock me right out. I went from acting like I had the flu to pretty much having it, and then I got to spend another few days lying on the couch eating noodles and ice cream. I went to the store, and came home with granola and egg noodles and chicken noodle soup and lemon pound cake and naan and pretzel crackers and four flavors of gelato. This was brought into a nearly empty kitchen and was meant to sustain me on my sick bed for a few days.

But eventually the bloom wore off the carb rose and I'm back to salads and chicken. Part of what it seems to take to rouse myself is being able to feel there is something about my life I can control. I'm not completely a victim, I can assert myself.

There is stress reduction and there is stress management. When I cannot control one source of stress in my life, can I take some action to reduce other sorts of stress? I found myself going into survivalist mode: buying solar chargers, making coffee in my woodstove, stockpiling my noodles and other shelf stable foods, refreshing the gallons of drinking water in the basement. I laugh at myself while I do it, but it moved me out of a victim mindset.

I want to think about better stress management practices, so I don't go for ice cream but instead manage those raging stress hormones and resulting inflammation and all the havoc it wreaks on my mind and body. Yoga? Meditation? Biofeedback apps on the iPhone? Guess what folks, I'm likely to try to find the tech based solution, one that doesn't require leaving my house to do.

At least I am emerging from the funk, and I'm off to adventures for a couple of days. I'm going to cheer some marathon runners, and perhaps be inspired by their example.

Posted with Blogsy