We know 2020 was a year no one could have anticipated and the impact was tremendous. Like a lot of people, I delayed routine medical checkups… including my annual physical and mammogram. We don’t know what the fall-out of this is yet, but I’m not waiting around to find out. In fact, I see 2021 as a totally new opportunity.
Let me explain
This week I turn 52 – but I don’t see this as 52 years old. I see it as 52 levels of experience. While Covid did stall my self-care, I approached 2021 as the year to make big changes. It started in January with testing and talking to a nutritionist – which was covered by insurance. I had no more excuses so I got my well-woman exam, bone density, colon screening, and eyes checked to see what’s going on inside me.
As it turns out, I am pre-disposed to diabetes. The good news is finding this out early enough to intervene. So the next step was to change how I eat. This started in February and is on-going. My loving husband does the cooking, but his mid-western upbringing includes too many comfort foods. I now get food from a local business that’s more nutritious and will help me shed some pounds.
The next step is exercise. It’s my goal to use April to test different routines and see which one, or combination, is easiest for me to incorporate into my daily schedule.
Notice how I do one stage at a time. Too often, we want to do everything at once and see immediate results. Then we get discouraged and give up.
When I blogged about Bryan’s addiction, I mentioned how it took a tremendous incentive and years and to change my drug behavior. I still smoke and want to eliminate that from my life… which I will. In the meantime, my 52 years of experience has taught me two things:
First is that I have to focus on one change at a time, and this requires patience. Behavioral changes don’t happen immediately. Even if you work at it longer than you think it should take; making a good change is worth the effort it takes to make it permanent.
Second, the time to be impatient is getting started! My 52 years of experience told me to start in January. If you haven’t done this recently, I urge you to get a checkup. Think of it as a gift to yourself. Even if you’re afraid of hearing something you don’t want to face…the sooner you know it…the easier it is to deal with.
Learning about my potential diabetes allows me the time to make changes that will delay, even eliminate the possibility of becoming a diabetic. This will improve both my inner and outer beauty. It puts me in control.
And that spells freedom!