As much as I like to feel as though I take good care of myself sometimes inevitably bugs that are going around manage to find their way into my system.
This past weekend I felt “off”. My usual muscle soreness by week’s end from teaching 5 classes over the course of the week always warranted me taking Saturday as a rest day but my muscles felt different this time. I felt achy and there was weird shooting pain within my muscles that left me feeling lethargic and tired. I had no energy and just wanted to sleep.
By Saturday evening I felt my lymph nodes in my neck swelling but oddly I had only an accompanying fever with no other symptoms of flu or cold. I slept 12 hours Saturday night as I knew my body was sending me a strong message to slow down.
Sunday I was supposed to go for a run with a girlfriend but cancelled letting her know that I was not feeling well. I opted instead for a walk through the park with my partner and my dog. Normally I would power walk, but not this time. We just walked slowly and enjoyed the nice weather, our pup and a good podcast that we listened to along the way.
By Sunday evening I got myself again into bed early and woke frequently feeling really warm and noticing my throat felt super sore and swollen. I opened my mouth wide and knew right away I had strep throat. I texted my Doctor friend and got in first thing this morning for a round of antibiotics.
Who can afford to be sick? Especially if you are a high achiever and have trouble slowing down! And of course in the busiest of weeks, isn’t that always the way? What is that saying? “Life happens while we are busy making other plans”.
The key takeaway for me here was our need as humans to really tune in to our bodies and know what they needs when they need it! Don’t try to push through discomfort, it’s your body’s way of signalling you to slow the heck down and let it rest and repair itself.
So next time you feel something coming on, slow down and relax. Your body will thank you for it!
