Staying on track when the going gets tough

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,

Comments

[Lance]

Hi Spin Diva,
While I too think that travel to new and exotic places sounds full of adventure (and right up my alley), I really think you've hit upon something I'm not sure how I would handle - and that's telling our kids if we were to do something like this. The older they get (14, 12, 10) the harder it is for them to separate from what they're connected to today. And I'm not quite to that stage of having a graduate yet, but you have me thinking about how there will surely be some separation anxiety. So - while I can't fully understand how stressful this time is for you, I do think I have a pretty good idea of it. And I think you're handling it all really very well.

Your tips for living through these challenges are spot-on. Even in smaller daily challenges, keeping the focus on the areas you've talked about really only helps to keep us in the best shape we can be (mentally and physically). Something else I do, which I've found helpful for me - in times of challenge - is to find some quiet time, just for myself - devoid of other distractions (morning usually work best for me), to focus on just being in that moment, and experiencing the calm.

This too shall pass...(a saying I remind myself of often) - and you will be enjoying your time in this new country, and all the experiences that will bring.

[Terie]

Lance~
My kids know no other life then to move every few years and until now it was oh so easy. But as you said, it is harder for them to break the ties as they get older. I'm sure we'll make new friends and the true friends we leave behind wont be forgotten and in today's day with facebook and email it seems impossible to loose touch. As for "me" time, you hit the nail on the head. I purposely get up early so that I can have that hour or so to myself to just "be in the moment". Thanks for the advice...yes, this too shall pass.

[Krista]

Spin Diva,

I am in total agreement with Lance...traveling is a great adventure, but adding kids to the mix can be a bit challenging. While I never moved to a different country growing up, I did move around a few times and those experiences of meeting new people and experiencing different points of view truly made me who I am today.

I came across a quote from Harrison Ford, "We all have big changes in our lives that are more or less a second chance." This change can be a gateway for your family to grow stronger and it's great that most of your family will get to go on this adventure together.

Best of luck and I LOVE that you're not letting stress get in your way! Keep it up! :)

[Terie]

Krista,
Thank you for your inspiriting words, for sharing your experiences and that awesome quote. It sure is hard work keeping it together. I have days or moments when I feel like I just can't handle it all but then I put it all in perspective and stop the worrying and stressing. Some things I have no control over and those I just learn to deal with. Occasionally I am reminded of the serenity prayer and that helps to ease my mind.

[Fitness Surfer]

Writing is my sanctuary. A good counselor once encouraged me to write daily as a way to put my thoughts and emotions into perspective, and to just get them out of my system. A good uplifting friend and social interaction is also good, but certain things just need to get out sooner, and when your busy it's easy to do that instead. Thanks for always sharing helpful information.

[Travis Petelle]

I totally agree. Stress is definitely killer of many exercise routines. I liked the article

[Terie]

Travis, Thank You for visiting my blog. The amazing thing about stress though is that sometimes that is what gives us the motivation and energy to do things - it all depends, I guess, on the type of stress and how we use the energy we get. Thanks again.

[Terie]

Writing really does help for any type of stress. Sometimes I can get over my angry or hormonal moments as my DH sometimes calls it by writing a letter usually addressed to the person who made me mad, I don't send it though, just hit delete and I feel better. It's good therapy. thanks for visiting.