A Time For Everything

There is a time for everything,

    and a season for every activity under the heavens:

    a time to be born and a time to die,
    a time to plant and a time to uproot,
    a time to kill and a time to heal,
    a time to tear down and a time to build,
    a time to weep and a time to laugh,
    a time to mourn and a time to dance,
    a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
    a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
    a time to search and a time to give up,
    a time to keep and a time to throw away,
    a time to tear and a time to mend,
    a time to be silent and a time to speak,
    a time to love and a time to hate,
   a time for war and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

A Time To Plant (Donovan and Grandpa Don)

I have noticed that sometimes when life throws terrible things at you, it often throws a lifeline as well.  A week ago, my father passed away. Even though it wasn't unexpected, and in many ways I had already started to mourn, because he wasn't himself after his last stroke, it was incredibly hard. The next day, both of my sons got their driver's licenses. This may seem like a small thing, but it was two years coming for the oldest, and because of covid, we had a hard time booking for my son who turned 16 last July. Their Grandpa would have been very proud.

Not only did this give my family a reason to celebrate, it meant they could spend that first evening with a good friend, on their own. If you have had teenagers, you know how important friend time is to them. The ensuing days of endless lists and chaos were made so much easier by this new step into adulthood. They could escape to the other Grandma's house (and sleep there, because my Mom ran out of beds).  They could be sent on errands, which was a huge help.

A Time To Harvest 

We are all grieving, but life does not stand still while we grieve. There are common stages of grief, but we all go through them in a different way. In the space of a few minutes, memories can make us both laugh and cry. And that's OK. 

 There is a time to work and a time to rest - The When Is Now

Teach a farmer to fish, and he will rest for a day!

Procrastination and excuse making are the enemy of well being. It's so easy to say, "I will get in shape when the gyms and exercise classes open up." or "When work is better, I will buy work out equipment." or "When the weather gets better." or "When college classes are in person again."  or "Next time I go out, I will buy a journal, then I can start." or "When I have more money".

For everything there is a season, for every excuse there is a solution. See them for what they are, excuses, not reasons. If you don't want to do it, just say so, be honest.

You can start your planning on the back of an envelope, and transfer it to the pretty journal later. 

You don't need fancy equipment to work out, you can literally use soup cans as hand weights and a folded up blanket as a yoga mat. 

Every type of exercise class imaginable is available online, many are free. Books, magazines and videos are available at the library for free. 

No extra money? Walking is free and exercising at home is free.. 

Educational classes are available online. 

Don't have good internet? Get books or magazines and start reading.

Don't have room - you literally only need 2x6' to do yoga, a hallway would work and you have all of outside for walking.

Cold out? Mall walk. I had a client who went to Walmart everyday and did laps using a shopping cart like a walker after she had back surgery.

Not mobile enough to get on the floor? There are plenty of chair stretching routines for people with injuries or reduced mobility.

No time? This may actually be true for some people, but most of us have time that we spend on our phones, watching TV, reading, doing our hobbies. In reality, we make time for things that matter to us or that we want to do. Listen to audio books or watch your favorite show while you are active.

Just Show Up

Another common pitfall is to give up as soon as something interrupts your new schedule. It takes time to form a new habit. According to research - 66 days. Some days you are accomplishing something by just showing up. It is better to spend only 5 minutes stretching on that morning that you slept in, then to skip it altogether. If your goal is to walk 30 minutes a day, it's better to do 10 before work, 10 at lunch and 10 while waiting to pick up your kids then to say, "I don't have 30 minutes, so I'll skip today."

If you did miss some days, don't beat yourself up over it. Let it go and move on. Today is fresh with no mistakes in it. (for you Anne fans out there!) Let's be honest, while I was at my Mom's, I did nothing active and didn't think twice about eating from all the deli trays delivered by friends and family. There may have also been some wine and cheese, or chips and dip in the evenings!

Maybe for the first week, it's all you can do to get up half an hour early drink some water and do a few half-hearted stretches. But you showed up. Good for you. Keep showing up, and soon you will be thinking, "well, I'm already walking for 10 minutes, I have time to do 15 minutes."

There's no time like the present!