Post-meningitis and battling constant headaches showed me how my endurance was not what it used to be. I was getting drained fast. I felt continually sluggish. If I pushed myself, I would be downright exhausted. I continued to make changes in my life.   

I learned to take more time for myself. I read more. I took breaks by the pool or on the patio. Taking a walk on the coast or at a park was very therapeutic. It still is.

I made it a point to socialize with friends on a weekend day over lunch or coffee/tea/juice. Most importantly, I learned to wind down earlier in the evenings. I shut down the television and took my eyes off the phone. This really made an unbelievably positive difference.

I had obviously started working again, easing into it initially and working remotely from home. In the (legal) industry I work, it is commonly joked that “time is your most valuable asset.” It was, like in many industries, hard to figure out how to find the balance I needed. I knew I could no longer work into the early morning hours or majority of weekends to finish a project.

A few months into my pilates journey, I heard through word-of-mouth about a mindfulness-based stress reduction class. After reading about it, I thought it could be beneficial and insightful for me. 

The course said it was appropriate for individuals interested in changing their health and achieving a greater sense of well-being. That was me. I signed up.

Coming next:  Learning to be “mindful”