One of my daily affirmations (when I remember, I’ve been lax lately) is that I’m grateful that the gift of health is keeping me alive. It’s amazing how even though I live with the intention of being grateful for my health, I don’t fully appreciate it until it’s not there. 

These past two weeks I’ve been knocked to my knees with a brutal cold. I’ve been coughing and using Kleenex nonstop. On top of feeling terrible, it’s been gross. 

It made me stop and really reassess my health. What can I be doing to look after myself better?

Since beginning my studies in Ayurveda my self-care has increased exponentially, but there’s always room for improvement. After moving back home last spring, I dove face first into a big piece of cake to soothe my sad feelings and it’s taken me a long time to crawl back out of that sugar hole. 

I’ve been eating too much sugar, and sugar makes me feel like crap. Correction, in the moment it makes me feel soothed, happy, safe, and loved. Not long after that it makes me feel like crap. My muscles are more tense, I’m more anxious, I don’t sleep as well… the list goes on. And yet sugar… it calls my name and it’s hard for me not to come running. 

Aside from that, I was grateful for the things I’ve learned over the years that help me get back to health. Allowing myself to stop and rest (this is a big one), honey and ginger, apple cider vinegar, rest, rest, honouring the fact that this is where my body is at right now. 

Today I feel closer to my healthy self than I have in two and a half long weeks. I’m certainly well enough to know I’m feeling better and to feel immense gratitude for my increasing health. 

Today’s  happiness moment is the joy of appreciating how well my body looks after me and how much better I feel as I return to a state of balance and health.