Do you feel that? It is like a shift in the atmosphere. We are tired, drained, and burned out mainly from the last 15 months of rollercoaster emotions, rules that we never imagined we would have to follow (whether you did or didn’t), the ever disappearing and reappearing products (will _____ be on the shelves this week) and wondering if we can see friends and families. Among so many other very personal experiences with our own health or the health of a loved one.
It has all been extremely tiring and it feels like most of us are at a breaking point in the mental and physical health game. We want to give up and take a nap. Now I’m not saying that everyone is at that point but I feel that many of us are. We are realizing that things we once did may not be that appealing anymore. It could be that because we have been told for the last 15 months that we can’t do these things and once you are out of the habit of doing something it can be difficult to get back in the habit. Even if those things were/are fun.
What do you do to swing back into life? The tough love side of me says just do the things. But I know that is not always so easy to do. Let’s take a look at some things that may be a little easier.
- If you are feeling uneasy about social gatherings, try hanging out with a close friend first. Someone who understands you and will listen to you about why you are uneasy. This could be the stepping stone to stepping back into the party scene. I am all for that party scene as long as I can be home by 9!
- Burned out with your workouts? Change it up and try something that you have never tried before. A dance program, boxing, cycling, basketball, an outdoor group class. Adding something new will put a pep in your step and may lead you back to what you loved before.
- Dive into some personal development. Back in the day it was called self-help, today we call it self-care or personal development. It does not matter what you call it or what it means for you. It could be learning a new trade, dealing with your emotions, or better managing your business or time. Learning something new (just like trying a new workout) fires up your endorphins and gets you back into the game.
- Take a vacation. Maybe you cannot take one right now, but you can plan one. Maybe it will be driving a couple of hours away from home or maybe it’s flying 2,000 miles away. Getting away from the monotony of what you have been doing and where you have been for the last 15 months may be exactly what you need for a refresh.
- Buy some new clothes, get a new hairdo. Spice up your life in any way you can think of.
You may notice a theme here…change it up. A lot of us have been doing the same things for a long time now and we need to add some spice into our lives. We live at home, we work at home, we hang out at home. We need to mix up the repetitiveness that we have been living. You may find that once you get that spark you will get back to that routine but with new vigor.
I realize that many of the places that you are used to going to have been closed for a while and some may even be permanently closed, but do not let that deter you from finding something new to do or somewhere new to do it. That opens up opportunities to meet new people and make new friends!
Speaking of changing things up, how about trying a new recipe! We are close to summer and it’s time for soup! Wait, What? I can hear you now, that is for the fall not summer. But is it? What about a cold soup that is super easy to make and takes less than 5 minutes. You are all in now, right? Say yes! Try this recipe and let me know what you think.
Cucumber Avocado Soup (serves 1)
1 medium cucumber, peeled and cut into chunks
1 medium ripe avocado, cut into chunks
4 tsp chopped fresh cilantro (reserve ½ tsp for garnish)
4 tsp fresh lime juice
¼ tsp Himalayan salt
¼ of a fresh jalapeno, seeded and diced (optional)
¾ cup water (or more, if needed)
Place cucumber, avocado, 3 ½ tsp cilantro, lime juice, salt, jalapeno, water in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. If consistency is too thick, add additional water. Cover and chill 2-3
Hours before serving if desired. Garnish with remaining cilantro before serving.
Recipe from Beachbody Ultimate Reset
Skier jack
Stand with feet close together, bend at the knees (like you are going to sit). Keep knees behind your toes. Have your arms up at your chest with fingertips touching (in front of your chest). As you jump a few inches to the right bring your right hand down to the floor (or as far as you can lower it). Keep your left arm where it is at. As you jump back up and to the left bring your right arm up to the starting position and lower your left. Make sure to keep your knees bent and feet together. You can either stand all the way up in between jumps and keep your body in the bent-knee position. To modify, take the jump out. Step to the right and lower into the bent position lowering your right hand to the floor. Stand back up and then go to the left.
Changing things up can be intimidating and doing so as we are coming out of a year-plus-long pandemic can be even more intimidating. I understand the hesitation that people have, how strange it feels to go back to what it was before but in order for us to start t heal, we must get back at it. Do not fret…this change is good. Our health depends on it. Do something you have never done before and tell me about it. I want to share your excitement and encourage you to keep going!
Jilisa Ghareeb has been a Beachbody coach for 6 years. Her favorite part of being involved with fitness and nutrition is watching her clients change and open up a whole new world. As a coach, she is able to help others by introducing them to a change that is often scary, intimidating, and full of “what ifs” to an encouraging and inspirational lifestyle full of “I cans”. She uses her own story to show others that everything is possible with hard work and determination. If you’re interested in reaching out to Jilisa for more information you can contact her via email, on Instagram or Facebook.
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