I haven't been on Social Media as much as I used to these days & I am ok with it. After deleting the apps on my phone, I've seen a lot of changes in my mood & overall satisfaction with where I am right now. I am present.
Ok...ok...I still have SnapChat cuz I got to keep my streak going with Cat! But, ya know, that's ok. :)
I find myself not "competing" with anyone else but myself. You do fall into comparing when all you do is scroll through your phone all day long. I found myself checking Instagram every few seconds...I was even doing it when I wasn't even aware I was doing it! That's when I knew I needed a little break.
I think everyone should take a break every now & then. Not trying to toot my own horn, but we weren't created to know what everyone was doing at all times. Our brains go into system overload & I think it's increased selfishness, vanity, anxiety & depression.
Anything that is good can also be bad for you. Like anything, moderation is key.
I don't think it takes an expert to figure all this out. It just takes a little thing called Self Control.
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I say all this cause not only is it true, but I've been really trying to take care of myself. About a month ago, I started realizing that my lifestyle wasn't at all healthy.
Most people look at me & think "She's skinny, so she's fine. She's pretty toned, so she's in shape. She's got it all together because she's always smiling." When really, I was not fine. I noticed it about a year ago in winter. I was sad & anxious & I thought it all was from the stress of wedding planning. Fast forward a year later, and the same thing feelings resurfaced. Even though I was deep in God's word & journaling everyday, something in me was telling me that "physically", I was not well.
I just remember calling my mom & telling her I didn't "feel" completely right. Like I was off. She encouraged me to go see my doctor. So did my husband & another close friend. So, I went. I got everything tested from my thyroid, to my iron levels in my blood, to an EKG...I just wanted some answers as to why I was feeling so fatigued, moody, anxious & down.
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I got my results back & I got a clear bill of health. However, my Vitamin D levels were low. Vitamin D is vital for us in the winter. It is literally the "sunshine" vitamin. It helps our mood. EUREKA! They FOUND SOMETHING...I wasn't crazy! My doctor immediately prescribed me a heavy dose of Vitamin D & I am currently taking this stuff for 12 weeks straight & am going to have to take supplements indefinitely. She also asked me if I was exercising 5x a week for 30 minutes.
To which I sheepishly replied, "No." HAHA! She encouraged me to try it to see if my mood got better. She also told me to cut caffeine or switch to decaf coffee to see if my anxiety goes down.
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I was determined to take these recommendations seriously. I didn't want how I was feeling to effect my life at work, at home or ruin relationships with my friends. I certainly didn't want my sweet husband to feel beat down from my moodiness either.
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I cut Social Media to not compare my progress with anyone else. To make ME my biggest competition. To not promote what I was doing for "likes". To just really dig deep & want something for myself. To pursue something to help start my marriage off on the right track.
I am also happy to say that I have been working out every day since my doctor's appointment. And all I have been doing is 30 minute workout videos on YouTube. I haven't gotten a gym pass & spontaneously become a gym junkie or yogi. No high expectations. Just me & pursuing the expectation of 30 min. a day of exercise.
It's actually fun to compete with just me & trying to form a healthy habit. I've gotten to know myself a lot more. Such as I am not a fan of yoga (sorry, ya'll) & I throughly love the fast paced workouts like Pilates & boxing. My body enjoys light stretch workouts after high intense ones. And overall, I just feel SO much better & am proud of just the little changes I've made to my lifestyle. Matt has even noticed a world of difference since going on Vitamin D & working out. I also switched to decaf & try not to drink coffee everyday (I was going cold turkey for 2 weeks & then I just started decaf).
One wise piece of advice I got was this, "Allow God to enter into your health to change you from the inside out."
I think I have the Holy Spirt to thank because I prayed that He'd give me the self control I needed to be physically, mentally, emotionally & spiritually well. He came through like He always does & I am relying heavily on that spiritual fruit.
The Lord has given me more self control & I know I have Him to thank...because if you knew me before all of this....I HATED WORKING OUT!
I still am not where I want to be, but I am proud that I am finally kicking my own ass to get there. It's also crazy how a little Vitamin can do BIG things for your health. Miracles happen, people.
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