Skating Uphill - May 2020
Living a Healthy Lifestyle
“I have been telling you for years to be yourself,
but now I am upping the ante.
Yourself is no longer good enough.”
– The Uphill Skater –
For years I have been pounding the fact that being yourself is the only way to go for better or worse. Yet, today I am going to eat my words. We are in very troubled times no matter how you look at it, and it is time for all of us to see where we may fit in the new “normal.” Not just you, but “YOU," as the very best person you know how to be. The times call for it, and we need to do it for our own emotional and physical health. We are all a part of these unprecedented times, and I have done as I am advising you to do. In this column after all of these years, the only time I have ever given advice that I have not taken my self involved chocolate, so I am not doing badly.
My daughter-in-law and son have had their work commitments radically changed. They desperately need extra child care and my husband and I are doing it. Some days we are pretty tired, but not a day has gone by that we haven’t had a ball with our grandson. We ride bikes, watch Sesame Street, read books, do puzzles, walk the dog, and a hundred other things that fill our days. My point with this is you may know a family member, or friend, or neighbor, who is in a similar situation. If you have spare time, make a call and see if you can give them an afternoon off or a days rest. Kids are fun. Try to do this if it is in the guidelines of the social distancing policies where you live. It will help them and you!
Many are unable to get out of their house for a variety of reasons. Shop for them. Get their mail and leave it on the porch. Leave flowers, a plant or a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle on the front step. This happened to a friend of mine from church. She called me and was nearly in tears when she found it. She is known to love puzzles, had completed all of hers twice and was at her wit’s end. A gifted puzzle on her porch turned out to be a mental life saver for her. We all have different needs, and it is nice to know what a friend might want or need and fill that slot. Think about how good you would feel if someone did that for you—whether we shelter-in-place or not.
Also of great importance is not to "hoard shop." This means do not buy 36 rolls of toilet paper when you only need 4. I was in line behind a man yesterday and he had two grocery carts full of bottled water. Come on now. I am sure, you have seen the likes of this, as well. This is not necessary and we all know it. I read in the newspaper that if everyone would stop shopping like that for three days, the supply chain would catch up and empty shelves would be a thing of the past. By the way, in that same line of thought—love a truck driver. We complain about too many trucks on the road, but oops, not so much now, right?
Last but not least, in my usual advice mode, I must tell you to keep yourself—your best self—as well as you can. You being down, sad, or depressed helps no one, especially you.
If you are completely homebound, it is pretty hard. Try to get outside for as much of the day as you can. Look for uplifting books and movies. Binge watch "I Love Lucy" or “Carol Burnett” for a laugh. Read one of the old Erma Bombeck books, send yourself some flowers and make a big cake—try that recipe you’ve been wanting to perfect. Eat part and freeze part. Ha, Ha, I bet you thought I was going to say eat it all. No, not this time, honey! But you should treat yourself well. Do something with your hair, play with your makeup—look at magazine models and try to replicate their eye makeup. Keep up your joy. Do NOT sit around in your pajamas and watch "Tiger King." Though challenging, be the best self you can be, and lift up someone else who is feeling worse than you or has more needs. Reach Out. All right, I know you may only be able to reach out by phone, but that works, too.
Reach out and send out. An old friend of mine from California just sent me a picture of us dressed in our furs and jewels with our husbands in their tuxedos at a New Years Eve Party. It was 25 years ago. I called her immediately, and we had an hour chat that made me feel better than I have in weeks. Don't let all of this get you down; you are better than that and we both know it.
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Judith Lawrenson is a former Hilton Head Island resident who has a huge heart and is loved by all who meet her. She has served and volunteered with numerous charitable organizations while living in the Lowcontry making an impact wherever she went. She and her husband recently moved to the wild hills of West Virginia to be closer to grandchildren. Judith is an avid sailor, a retired reading resource specialist, and a children's TV host whose local show originated from the Boys and girls Club. Judith is also a long time seeker of healthy, happy living and a lifestyle dedicated to service to others balanced with love of God and love of self. Check out her BLOG www.skatinguphill.com for fun info, recipes and nutrition ideas, current updates on nearly everything in the world, and lots of comments and opinions.