Ugh.

I’m sorry to say the bug beat me.  Bad.

But, I’m planning a comeback.  I’m writing you from bed today, sick with a bad case of strep throat.

I had to cancel all my appointments.  I’m really bummed about that.  I know my clients wouldn’t appreciate me gifting them their very own case of strep throat.  Nonetheless, I hate missing out on our meetings.

I suppose that’s a good sign—I enjoy my work.  But I’d gladly trade this reminder of how much I love my work for just getting to go and do it, like any other Monday.

Don’t live like this.

To me, getting sick always feels a bit like a good-hearted smack from Mother Nature.  I take it as a sign to slow down and take better care of myself.

My intentions are always good.  I promise myself quite genuinely good habits will carry forward into the future.  I promise myself more rest, and nourishing food, a slow and mindful practice, and a sacred bed time.

But all too often, I find that, as soon as I’m well, I start hurtling pell-mell back into the fracas that is my life.  I’m setting up appointments and planning projects and looking for the next thing that needs doing.

I think this means I need to stop thinking about wellness as some kind of epic undertaking of mythical proportions and more a second-by-second and ounce-by-ounce kind of enterprise.

After all, I won’t be able to stick to these principles all the time—that’s an impossibility.  I’m setting myself up for disappointment by doing that.  So I’m trying instead to measure in increments rather than yards—to find small, simple gestures of kindness for myself.  To shore myself up with brief, loving practices.

For me, being sick is a lesson in humility.  It gets me to ask for help.  It requires me to take perspective, to trim back all the “fat” in my day.  It lays bare a simple ritual:  eat, sleep, and in the meantime?

Don’t do.

Just be.

Create a comfortable life.

Things to do when you’re sick (or well)

Turns out there are a few important things to do when you’re sick.  Funny thing is, they’re things to do to stay well, too.  It’s more mama wisdom—those simple pieces of counsel that we often take for granted.  Here are a few I’m giving a try–

1.)    Get enough sleep.  Welcome naps into your life, when possible.  Be greedy with your sleep.  Defend it like you’d defend the last bite of your favorite meal.  Don’t compromise.  Have a bedtime, and keep it sacred.

2.)    Drink plenty of fluids.  Eat well.  Somehow, hearing about it from a doctor when you’re sick makes you feel like you should chug several gallons of Gatorade.  You don’t expect your pets or houseplants to survive on air alone, do you?  Remember that you’re a living, breathing organism, too.

3.)    Time to yourself.  When you’re sick, people don’t want to catch what you have.  So you may find yourself with some unexpected solitude.  This is harder to come by if you aren’t sick, but the practice is just as valuable.  Even if you’re very extroverted and recharge by being around others, time alone is still a very precious practice.

4.)    Go slow.  I know some people that treat sick days as a chance to catch up on work.  They manage to cheat themselves out of a perfectly good opportunity for some good old self-care.  When possible, go slow.  Going slow will actually help you finish faster, believe it or not.

So, how can I apply this to my life today?

Well, I’ve got a big bottle of Gatorade with a straw in it by the bed.

I’m giving the rest of my to-do list the boot.

And I’m ending this blog post early to take a nap.

Good night!