Over the last couple of months I have moved my (Fitbit tracked) activity from barely 5k steps/ day to more than 10k and from 2-3 days of 30 mins of exercise per week to more than 5 days.
In my 30s this would be accompanied by visible weight loss; in my 50s I just feel better. (I have lost some weight, but not enough to mention. Moreover, although I don’t love carrying an extra 60 lbs, if my bloodwork shows improvement then I’m content. As it is, my resting heart rate was in the mid 80s a year ago, and now it’s in the low 70s — getting into the 60s on a regular basis is my goal.)
Lifting weights and other strength training is hampered by the sprained thumb, but it’s the next level to add into my life. That said, I already have a meditation practice and plenty of reading as well as creative endeavors in my life. I believe in being a whole person.
I’ve wanted to be this energetic (physically speaking) for a while now, and I credit a reading given to me by Ochani Lele for giving me the knowledge I needed to jump start my shift. He told me (among many things) that I needed to start wearing black tourmaline. Not the perfume of that name (which he makes and it is FANTASTIC) but the stone itself. A friend (Joy) offered to make me a necklace, which turned out beautifully, and I’ve been wearing it nearly every day since. I find that its easier for me to get up and move, and that my cravings for sugar are diminished tremendously. Black tourmaline is an energetic cleanser and transformer of negative energy; and it is working.
Just this week I’ve added aromatherapy to my practice. I’ve done a lot of research and my symptoms seem to fit those of someone who is overly stressed (duh, right?) and who has too much cortisol flowing. Major symptoms: I wake up at 3am every morning and carry weight in an ‘inner tube’ around my waist. One way to address this is to calm the heck down, deliberately. To assist with calming me, I’m adding a nightly diffusion of a blend of clary sage, bergamot, and ylang ylang. Most people would add lavender, but I’m not a fan of that scent, or rosemary for grounding, but I’m a very grounded person. Uplifting and calming is a better combo for me, so that’s my blend. I’ll let you know how it goes.