The average life expectancy in the US is 78.7 years. That's 78.7 years that we can spend laughing and enjoying the journey surrounded by the people we love or 78.7 years that we can spend discouraged by the struggles of life. My goal is to make every second count and the goal of this blog is to share my successes but also my failures so that you can learn from me.
A lot has happened over the last few years, so to start I'll give you a quick summary.
2018 - 2019
In 2018 I started focusing on my physical health and began a program that helped me improve my relationship with food and gain control of how I was fueling my body. This led to losing about 80 lbs. and getting in the best shape of my life. I was a CrossFit addict (thanks to @lioncrosshealth) and was trying my hand at Sprint Triathlons and I even ran a Half Marathon just to prove I could.
In 2019 I started focusing on my mental health and began seeing a Psychiatrist and Therapist. Through regular sessions I’ve been able to work through issues I’d attempted to ignore since High School and I’ve learned to listen to my body beyond the joints and muscle aches and dig into my emotions and feelings.
Because of my work over those two years and the support from God and an awesome group of people I call my support system, when 2020 hit I was actually in a way better position to weather the challenges the last year would bring. Let me be clear, that doesn’t mean it was easy.
I began facing struggles with my physical health near the end of 2019 when I started having stomach issues that the doctors would eventually determine as some form of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). After having soo much success with my physical health this was not only a physical challenge but a mental one, but I leveraged my support system and was determined to not let a change in diet ruin the progress I had made over the years so I began the journey of eating healthy with IBS. It’s not easy and I’m still figuring it out but I’m making progress with resources from really smart people like Heather Van Vorous
2020
On January 1, I let my competitive side get the best of me and I tore my ACL and meniscus while playing basketball with a group of friends and co-workers. This forced me to take a break from CrossFit and training for competitions and focus on healing my body. Determined to not let another setback take away from my progress on personal growth, I signed up to start studying to get my MBA through online classes so that I could focus my energy on learning instead of exercise for awhile.
Throughout the summer we began fixing up my dirt bike from childhood which renewed my passion for riding trails and spending time on the track. In August I was able to sell my childhood motorcycle and I was able to upgrade to a Honda CRF 250R. Unfortunately, the day before we were able to take it to the track I wrecked riding at my in-laws and broke my ankle.
In September I had ankle reconstructive surgery including a fancy plate and seven screws. At this point I had been meeting with a Psychiatrist and Therapist for about a year. I had learned some great strategies to manage my anxiety and depression which I had struggled with since high school, but the additional physical setback began to wear on my mental health. Within a year I had gone from running a Half Marathon on a whim, to major surgeries on both limbs, essentially undoing all of the work I had done to get in physical shape.
In October I leveraged my support system to help me work through the mental funk my physical struggles had brought. I focused on recognizing feelings and giving myself grace. I focused on looking past what I couldn’t do and the work it would take to get in shape, and I focused on what I could control and at the end of October I received my diploma for graduating with my MBA with an emphasis in Human Resource Management.
On December 1st I was cleared by my surgeon to begin exercising and doing anything that “didn’t hurt''. Since then I’ve started training myself to run again, which currently is more of a penguin waddle, I’ve jumped into a few scrimmages which have reminded me the importance of practicing, and I have had to remind myself daily that grace and patience are required for my success physically and mentally.
2021
Now, on January 10, a year after my MRI from my first major surgery of January 2020 I’m focused on the same things I have been focused on since 2018. I’m focused on my physical health through healing and strengthening. I’m focused on my mental health through continued partnership with my therapist and my support system and I'm focused on giving myself grace, taking time to celebrate and sharing with others along the way.
2020 couldn’t have been any more different than I had imagined it being when I woke up on January 1. But through struggles and challenges I know I am better prepared to handle whatever 2021 brings.
Think About It...
- What are some things over the last year you are proud of accomplishing?
- When you look back on 2021 what do you want your summary to include?
- What can you do today to make that summary a reality?
Stay tuned to hear what Adulting with Britt looks like when it comes to setting goals.
