I've realised over the years, especially as a parent, that I need to be at my optimum. I need to look after myself from all angles of mental, physical and spiritual levels to ensure I'm doing my best to have balance and space. The biggest revelation I've had is that I also need to be my own healer and wellbeing expert.
I'm the only one who has been with me from the very beginning of my life. I have all my history and experiences downloaded (somewhere in my brain!) so I'm the best one to view myself overall and tweak the areas that need tweaking! How do I do that you ask?
Great question!
Sometimes it takes an illness, early breast cancer for me, to realise that I've been forming my wellness team all my life. It's only now as I get older that I realise what a rockstar team they are and how much I need them! Things happen as we get older that are beyond our control so it's amazing to have those special souls that know and understand you already and how you work to be your co-pilot.
Over the years you collect those special members of your team, including the amazing GP that knows your history and personality (if you don't have the ideal GP, keep looking and don't settle as they are so important!). Your medical team is suited to you and dependent on where you're at, we gather all those specialists and experts that are needed on our journey (and are kept on file for future reference of course - and to pass on to others).
Of course, there are also those experts that chance has you find - that osteopath who can tell where the issue is without you telling them, the podiatrist that assesses your walk and run and makes tweaks, the chiro who can fix a 2-day headache in five minutes, the acupuncturist who helps to restore your exhaustion and more. I'm still collecting these experts and love how much more they teach me about myself and how I function on many different levels.
The best team members are those that are referred and who have helped others in your sphere. I'm sure you already have a team you've been building for years so make a point of checking in with any of them that you might need. These relationships can be life saving and changing.
The final thing I try to do on a regular basis - and that I try to drill into my teenaged kids - is to do regular body scans. This is mainly physical if you notice a change anywhere in your body that can't always be explained. Draw attention to it and keep an eye on it. Decide if it's worth discussing (with a family member, friend or even medical expert) as having peace of mind is so much more important that the worry of 'what if'.
Of course this 'body scan' stretches to your mental health as well. If something is coming up more often that not and is distressing, talk about it. There's always someone to talk to whether it's a parent, friend or professional. We hear this a lot, but it's true. I have a circle of confidantes who I check in with regularly to give me another perspective and keep things real. Our weekly coffee catchups are better than therapy we say (or make a brilliant compliment to therapy!) and are cheaper!
I'm always in the driver's seat and can make choices and decisions that are right for me. My biggest advice to anyone who's interested is to ask questions to those experts (or those important souls in your sphere) and ask as many as you may need and don't stop until you really understand!
Need an expert? Ask your network and build your team. Because if you don't have your health, what's the point?
