Day 2: Recommitting

For those of you from the future reading this (I say from the future because I know for a fact no one reads this blog in the present), you may realize it's Election Day. And a tense Election Day it is. I'm in need of self-care more than ever before.  From this election tension (magnified by the terror attack in Vienna of yesterday), however, came some kind of beautiful human connection that was very much needed. I was able to catch up with long lost friends from when I lived in Vienna, who were safe and doing well. I saw pictures of one of my friend's newest sons, who turned 8 months in October; I was invited for a visit as soon as things settle down. I was able to chat with my old college roommate who I watched the 2016 election with, and to congratulate her on her law school acceptance. The group chat with my friends from elementary school became active for a brief 30 minutes to check on everyone's wellbeing. 

For my exhausted self, sometimes reaching out is tiring; I'm glad I had the little push to do so today. 

I digressed. 

Let's have a look at how things went over the past two days. 

So far it seems like the OKRs are working, I say hesitantly. While I've yet to fall asleep by midnight and I ate some gluten (of which I shouldn't), I was able to keep up most of my other daily required maintenance activities: practicing yoga for 30 minutes, avoiding inflammatory dairy, eating 3 meals a day, drinking a ton of water, maintaining 3 hours of offline time, meditating for 10 minutes, and of course...blogging. 

Today I felt my stamina lag a bit, but I pushed myself to make up the difference, to stay committed. 

I like instant results, however, and I'm not seeing them. Duh! Of course results wouldn't appear in day two. That being said, when progress isn't obvious, it's hard to stick to a plan. And it doesn't help that I feel unwell. 

Yesterday night I was overwhelmed with a wave of brain fog. I couldn't seem to keep thoughts in my brain or absorb what was happening around me; it was like the world was moving too fast around me. As I sat trying to do a basic Sudoku puzzle, my mind was a blur. For someone used to being feeling sharp and adaptable, this symptom is disarming and unpleasant to say the least. Today, in the middle of my yoga practice I was zapped with a migraine. My knees are achy and swollen and the constant pelvic pain hasn't subsided. I've been riding the wave of small bursts of unattributed anxiety. 

So here I write, reaffirming my practices of self-care. Until tomorrow. A day with slightly less pain, and a slightly more superhuman response to whatever lingering pain remains.