This might sound unusual. I find that as we grow old, occasional sickness can be a good thing.
The past few weeks were a bit challenging. It’s the first time that the whole family got hit with seasonal flu. It started with my son, then my husband, then I took the last hit. Mine is by far the worst among us and still enduring the after-effects.
Sometimes it can’t be helped when your body encounters something new and unfamiliar, (cue in Michigan weather that swings 50 degrees in either direction on the same day!). More so when you have not been sick for more than a year.
I was telling my husband, that we are “out of practice”. In the Philippines, it’s normal to catch the flu in between the switch of summer to monsoon season, and vice versa. There’s no escaping it.
So when I finally caught one here, it was unbelievable.
Needless to say, here are some of the thoughts I pondered on appreciating the downtime of being sick:
1. Your body tells you when to STOP.
When I was younger, I push myself hard, both mentally and physically. I’ll beat the deadline, attend one more function, and party for another hour. Was the epitome of the “work hard, play hard” mantra. I was so dedicated to my work that I would still show up even when sick. I was known for doing so until I literally, physically can’t get up. And while that earned me respect from my former field, my body took its toll and will take days, sometimes weeks to recover.
Now that I’m older, I realized that those crazy decisions were definitely not the smartest ones. Now having a family, I have realized my limits and learned the value of rest and downtime. Things can wait, but health can’t.
2. Things will STILL get done.
The routine I have established for our family has been, so to speak, derailed. Putting things away, serving meals, and even the lovely laundry was beautifully piled up behind the bedroom door. All these (and more) have been taken care of over the weekend by my husband. While it may not be perfect or the way I exactly want it, it got done, and that was enough and much appreciated.
3. You prioritize WHAT MATTERS for the time being.
From grocery runs, meal plans, and home projects, all that I thought was necessary to have a productive week was halted. Being sick forces you to look at things on a narrower view, a simpler scale. It keeps you focused on one goal, one action at a time. And top of the list was to rest up and feel better.
4. It helps you SLOW DOWN.
Time and again we feel so optimistic that we can do all the things in the amount of time we set ourselves into, and sometimes in unrealistic timeframes. (Just me? Nah?) It is easier to forget that the mind and the body should be in sync in order for those planned things to get accomplished.
This gave me an unprecedented opportunity to slow down and catch up with how I feel and treat things.
5. You get to POINT OUT WHAT’S BOTHERING YOU
My mother told me when I was younger, I used to get sick before a big exam in school, and that went on far until around 5th grade. Either that, or I would get sick after the exam, and even if I get a perfect score, the stress just reflects on my body. I remember burning up, dry heaving, and vomiting for a good number of days prior to or after an event.
In recent years, I have found out that when I get sick, it’s not only because my immune system is low, but also because something doesn’t sit right with me. I would stupidly fight it by procrastinating. I will start thinking of the unthinkable, then start losing sleep.. and that’s pretty much the start of the end.
I enjoy the challenges of this blogging journey. And sometimes, it hurts to realize and admit that by far, the main person who judges me the most is myself. Negative thoughts can creep in real quick which can lead to lower levels of energy and motivation.
Occasional sickness has a good way of teaching us to listen to our bodies and slow down. It is important to be reminded of our main purpose when we are getting worn out or frustrated when we are not fully capable of doing the tasks at hand.
I hope you are feeling well today. And if you’re in your downtime, give yourself some grace, figure out the little joyful things you can do for the moment, and keep on looking forward to that day when you feel better and able to do more.
