Inside My Life Part 2
Hello beautiful!
My oh my what a wild ride the past month has been. With Christmas around the corner and Trump becoming elected, emotions are high.
University: You're not alone, I have been feeling it too. With the end of the University semester looming I have had many days of overwhelm and stress (and a few curled up in a ball in bed crying). I have always struggled at a student and have found that the stress tends to send my anxiety high and my immune system low. Having studied for so long I have realised that I truly believe that the way University runs is total bullshit. I can honestly say I have learned more in my daily life that I have ever learned at University.
The rash is back: One thing University has taught me is that stress truly does take a toll on the body. My biggest fear came true last week when I broke out in a full body rash (something that my body does when I get a virus. It used to occur every month but up until this point it had not occurred this year). The last time I had this rash so severe I wound up in hospital. I was so afraid because the sores has spread across my bottom lip and inside my mouth. I was worried they would spread down my throat. I had to really take control of my thoughts. When irrational thoughts would pop into my head like "I'm dying" I would take those thoughts and break them down. I told myself I had the rash many times before and each time I survived. I was disappointed to have to take yet another break from study (I had tonsillitis last month) but I took some time to rest and have some long baths (my favorite).
My bike: Of course when you do the hard work of working with your illness or "negative" thoughts, good things happen. I had a list of supplements I wanted to get from chemist warehouse. I had grown slack with my supplements since I hadn't had the rash for so long. When my boyfriend and I pulled up at the store we saw a bike for sale next door for only $99.00. It had everything I always wanted. It looked retro and had a cute basket to match. I didn't want to feel like I was rewarding myself for been ill. I didn't want to receive awesome things only when I was feeling bad. I didn't want my subconscious mind to associated illness with rewards. But the sales lady assured us the bike would be gone by the morning and we jumped on it. I decided that it was meant to be rather than a reward for being ill. I feel so immensely grateful for this bike. It has given me so many things. I tend to feel anxious if I don't have my car so I rarely travel far from home. My bike is slowly training me to travel away from home and feel comfortable with it. I love being in nature and it truly is a FUN exercise. I did overdo it a little and rode everyday for a week and ended up with a very sore body for a few days, so I changed my rides to every second day. Best of all it got me focusing on my riding rather than focusing on my rash.
Dear Universe: I made up a little game for when I am feeling overwhelmed. I write out "Dear Universe" and then ask for what I want. It may be something like "Please let me have a great shift at work today where I only deal with pleasant people and the shift goes fast". I then write "in return" and then write out things that I would like to get done. As example may be "listen to 30 minutes of a lecture" or "clean one room in my home". I have found this exercise so powerful because I am getting something done that I want, and I am hopeful for a positive outcome to the situation I am asking about.
New supplements: With my immune system playing funny buggers on me I have upped my supplement game. I started with vitamin C and I am taking 2 in the morning and 2 at night. I also started taking some organic zinc, one in the morning and one at night. I starting taking three Vitex tablets a day to help with PMS and Lysine, two in the morning and two at night to help keep the cold-sore virus at bay. I have also started taking some super green powder to detox my system. I have found this upsets my stomach so I now take it when I get home and I have finished my day. I also made sure I was regularly drinking Lady's Mantle tea for PMS and Kombucha for gut health. I have noticed my skin is the clearest it has even been since taking all of these supplements but the main goal is for my immune system to not crash next month after my cycle. I will keep you posted!
Study tips: I personally have found study to be one of the most stressful things I have ever done. Over the past 4 years these are the tips I find to be the most successful.
1. Plan out your day in intervals. Spend 30 minutes of study and then do something else for 15 minutes then go back to study. Breaks are so important and other things will still need to get done so this method tackles both.
2. Have a piece of paper for thoughts that come up while you are studying. My mind goes crazy when I am trying to study with idea. I know write them down and continue on with my study. This way I am getting it out but not letting me distract me.
3. Sometimes you just have to walk away. When you are in a state of overwhelm and stress it seems counter intuitive to drop what you are doing, but trust me, you are not getting anywhere by staring at the screen and crying (I have not done that I swear!)
Well that's my second edition of Inside my Life. Please let me know in the comments below what you have been up to over the last month and any challenged and/or wins you have had.
Until next time, stay committed to your wellness.
Shalee xoxo
