This past month has been challenging emotionally, physically, mentally and even spritually. I wish I could tap into each of these challenges in just one post and make it all better but that's just not possible or reasonable. I could easily start writing and go on for a long time talking about how I feel, or felt over the last month.
To start with, we found out we are moving to another country (to be discussed later) which is not a bad thing for me because I do love to travel and I embrace change like nobody's business. But I have kids to think about and while the 7 and under are perfectly OK living where the sun always shines, the teen is not so keen on leaving her friends behind. To make matters worse for her, the military or the US Navy has a freeze on any permanent change of orders (basically, we can't move until the new fiscal year) so we have to move in December, halfway through the school year.
This brings me to my second issue and that is that my oldest (18) graduated High School and he will be staying in the states attending college. The good thing is that he will be within close proximity to all our family members and that he already loves the school he chose to attend or should I say the school that chose him. However, it is not easy leaving a child behind or even watching them go away....ugh, I know, I have to cut the cord..workin' on it.
The impending move, the graduate, oh and the sale of our home (how could I forget that) all have a way to get me stressed and get me all worked up about stuff I know I can handle and I know will work out but that is the nature of things. We get the situation, our body reacts then we figure out a way to manage the stress and the situation as well. It's all good. After all, this is not the first time we move and it wont be the last either.
I have now come to a point where I can manage my stress and continue to do what we've always done in an effort to keep things as normal as possible for the kids' sake. The kid is now a graduate and working through the summer, the young teen is looking forward to many water sports activities, scuba diving, and a brand new bedroom set after we move, the 7 yo is looking forward to practically living at the beach and riding her bike to school, and the baby...well he just goes along with the flow. I have secured a job with the gym on base and my husband, well, he's sort of the reason why we go on these grand adventures.
In the mean time I can't let all the to-do's and the stress get me down. I have to stay on top of my nutrition and fitness routines. We will all be doing a lot of outdoor activities this summer. My gym routine will only change if I'm making it harder, teaching more classes, and helping more clients reach their goals. My point here is that we already know how important it is to excercise and to eat well, so why let life events change that?
My tips for living through these challenges:
1. Continue to feed your body what it needs to maintain a strong immune system, maintain a healthy weight, and feed all our organs so that they can protect us and keep us strong.
2. Continue to exercise, indoors and out. That one hour of the day should be reserved as if it was a Doctor's appointment that took six months to get.
3. Get more sleep and more rest, when ever possible. Sleeping helps us beat fatigue and helps us to focus and have mental clarity.
4. Deal with stress by writing things down to avoid becoming overwhelmed.
5. Take time to just visit with friends and/or family and have FUN!
Life is too short to let it go to waste by stressing and worrying. I find that when I exercise I am more able to finish my projects, focus on what needs to be done and, best of all, I sleep so much better! If you are experiencing my challenges, share your thoughts by leaving a comment or feel free to share your own tips of managing stress during challenging life events. Thank You.
Stay Well,
