We have passed the halfway mark for 2023 and up until July, life was going pretty smoothly. I felt I was using my WOTY ‘TIME’ wisely, ticking off boxes for travel with a cruise to PNG and a European holiday planned for November. Life was good and then July started and life changed.
July was spent mostly recuperating and for those of you dear readers who know me, I’m much happier when I combine my time being active and busy as well as having time for more leisurely pursuits such as reading. Alas, What’s been on my calendar? Not much ….and plenty of cancellations.
I had no inclination to write a WBOYC? post but then I started thinking that it could be a way to provide encouragement to others who are going through tough times too.
What’s Been On My Calendar in July?
- Two trips to the ED with chest pains – thankfully no heart attack.
- A virus accompanied by a hacking cough which saw me resigned to bed for a couple of weeks
- A CT Angiogram and Carotid Doppler Ultrasound – I’m awaiting results
- The surgical removal of a Lipoma located under my arm which I’ve had for many years but had grown to about 7cm in diameter. Although quite common, it needed to be removed before the possibility of it turning into something nasty like cancer
- Accompanying my husband to his specialist appointments
It’s easy to feel ‘down’ and fall into the ‘I can’t be bothered’ mindset
When we are going through a rough patch it is easy to get caught up in worry, anxiety and the feeling that you have lost control.
I’m guilty of being a worrier and try hard to focus on what I can control and what is out of my control. Worry can rob us of joy and living our life because we waste time and energy on something which we may or may not be able to control.
How we respond to situations is in our control.
I found this post on Joel Therien’s FB page and it was a great reminder for me and I shared it on my social media and in my Facebook Group. Having had a rough month or so health wise it is easy to feel down in the dumps and concern as I await some test results. Deep down I’m sure I am fine, however, the niggling voice in my head can go into overdrive.
After reading this I’m focusing on what I can control – resting, taking care of my body, finding the little things to be grateful for each day as well as taking time out.
Are you concerned or anxious about something that may or may not happen? How are you managing your thoughts?
When you are going through a tough time, it can be so easy to fall into the ‘I can’t be bothered’ mindset. Life is tough and you are struggling to just get through the day, let alone trying to keep a positive mindset. For me, being ill and resting is foreign to my lifestyle and I really miss moving my body.
Illness means you have to take it easy and in some cases stay in bed. There are plenty of hours to think and it can be easy to focus on what isn’t going well, and you start to focus on your vulnerability and mortality.
During July, I had to cancel
- all exercise including taking Group Fitness sessions and running. The doctor has ordered no strenuous exercise until I visit him in early August.
- the surgical removal of the lump under my arm made it difficult to raise my arm, shower and wash my hair.
- spending time with my grandsons during the school holidays. This was disappointing as we had several things planned.
- my podcast interviews have had to be cancelled or postponed
- blogging – this requires the right mindset and it’s been a struggle.
How to maintain a positive outlook when times are tough
- Allow yourself dwell with your thoughts even if they are negative. You need to acknowledge how you feel and accept those feelings before you can move on.
- Acknowledge progress each day no matter how small
- Indulge yourself and don’t feel guilty about not doing all the things you feel you should be doing. I enjoyed reading and discovered some 5 star books during my recuperation which I will share in next month’s What’s On Your Bookshelf?
- Be kind to yourself and remind yourself that this time will pass
- Reflect on the good things – once I could wash my hair I immediately felt better. A small thing but it meant I was getting better.
- Catch up on your favorite television series or movies
- Use the time to plan and dream so you have something to look forward to.
Lessons learned
- No matter how fit and healthy you are, genetics can still play a role. Knowing your family medical history will help you to have the screenings and tests to catch things early.
- We are human and it is okay to feel sorry for yourself as long as you don’t wallow for too long.
- Sometimes, you need to be kind to yourself but equally you need to give yourself a push .
- Patience is a virtue and must be practiced
- The importance moving your body plays in maintaining a positive mindset. Not moving regularly can and does affect your mental health.
- Acceptance and letting go are vital before you can move forward. Accepting that I couldn’t exercise and needing to let go of the guilt of not working out or feeling like i was letting everyone down was important before I could move forward and feel better mentally.
- There is always someone who is worse off than you and facing hardships much harder than you.
- How we respond to situations is in our control whilst letting go of what isn’t in our control.
Exercise your Happiness Muscle
This timing of this podcast episode couldn’t have been better for me. When life gets tough it is easy to feel sorry for yourself and forget to enjoy life and find joy and happiness in each day. Exercise Your Happiness Muscle I hope you listen or watch the video and feel better and a little happier afterwards.
Bouncing back
Each month I share an Action for Happiness themed calendar and the one for July is one I will be using for August.
The prompts for July are all about finding ways to Bounce Back – whether that is from an illness or you’ve been overwhelmed by a problem or you just have the Winter blues.
We can be so hard on ourselves or not give ourselves to time and space to recover physically, mentally or to enable us to work through problems that might be nagging away at us.
Hopefully this calendar will start you on the track to bouncing back. For me it will be about being kind to myself, giving my body time to recover fully but also starting to be more active each day as I grow stronger.
Well, that’s what’s been on my calendar and I Iook forward hearing what you’ve been up to. I’m sharing my co-hosts’ links as well so remember to pop over and visit to see how their month progressed.
Debbie Harris
Donna Connolly
Jo Tracey
Enjoy your month!
What’s Been On Your Calendar? #WBOYC
What: 2023 Monthly Wrap-Up Link Party.
When: Last Thursday PM (Northern Hemisphere)/ Last Friday AM (Southern Hemisphere). The link will be open for 7 days
Why: A space to share highlights from your past month.
Where: Link Party, Blog, Blog Comments, Instagram or other social media.
Who: This linkup is open to everyone.
How: You can share in the comments, with a blog post, or on other social media of your choice. Include the hashtag so that we can find you and include your link in our posts.
The next #WBOYC will be Thursday August 24th /Friday August 25th. I’m looking forward to seeing and reading What’s Been on your Calendar? during the month.
36 Comments
Hi, Sue – I am so sorry that you have gone through all of these health issues and health-related cancellations in July. I admire you greatly for your positive attitude, and for sharing your experiences candidly with all of us. You have provided great modelling and inspiration for each of us when life deals us cards we had not expected.
Wishing you a wonderful August ahead.
Miss you!!
Hi Donna it has been tough and very easy for me to just recluse myself and wallow. Then I look around and see others who are going through more difficult times than me and it wakes me up. xx
Hi Sue, I hope things improve soon, you’ve had a rough time. Hugs, Toni x
Thanks, Toni and hope you are well. x
Hi Sue, what a heartfelt and hope filled post this is. I understand completely how the health things can drag you (and me!) down because they change our plans…how rude!! However, you are, as it seems from your careful and thoughful words know that “nothing” changes the mindset until you make the decision to do so. Big cheers for that. But also taking time to heal and recovery as you already know from your fitness and coach training takes its toll when we are ‘itching’ to do again. In many ways, despite the worries and fears part, you are using this month to add to your growth. I have only recently been finding out how a growth mindset is also helpful. Yay for posting and sharing. And never comparing~~ Thanks for the link up. Denyse
Hi Denyse, I wasn’t going to post anything for WBOYC? as I’m feeling a bit ‘down in the dumps’ and who wants to listen to that! However, I felt much better after writing down my thoughts and hopefully it may help others as well. It is difficult for me who likes to be on the ‘go’ but as you say it is also an opportunity for growth. Have a lovely weekend and thanks for your support. x
You are always so full of vim and vigor and loads of energy…I know this has been hard for you. But I think it was LIFE’s way of slowing you down a little. I hope the tests results provide information on what is causing your issues and a clear path to full recovery. When you get the green light to return to exercising, give yourself some grace to start with easier workouts than you are no doubt used to. Build your stamina back slowly to avoid a relapse of that nasty virus or a flare up of the heart symptoms.
I went to the counselor yesterday and poured out a number of my more worrisome woes to her. She listened then cautioned me to remember that a lot of what worries me isn’t even happening (yet), it is just something I am worried might happen. It was good to be reminded that there are things within my control and many things that I cannot control. And just trying to take life one day at a time.
Hi Leslie thanks for your kind words and advice. It will definitely be hard not to go full on when I can workout again that’s for sure. I’m sorry you are having worries and like you I can certainly worry about things that haven’t even happened yet! Please take care and as you say take life one day at a time. xx
Hi Sue – I know what it’s like to have health issues that are completely out of your control (or are genetic). I’d only had one little op in my entire life and then ended up with two in 9 months. It’s quite confronting and physically restrictive as you recover – and it brings you down a little. Waiting on test results is also a really difficult time (esp with your family history). I hope all goes well with the rest of your recovery and the results are good ones. Be kind to yourself and I think things like this help us to understand when others are struggling and they increase our compassion. I hope you’re back to your usual full-on self very soon. Rest and let others be there for you. xx
Thanks Leanne and I know you can understand how I’m feeling. It really knocks you for a six when faced with a few medical issues all at once. Hopefully I’ll be back on deck soon but I’m also enjoying not having too many responsibilities at the moment. x
I can relate to every word of this post. May, June and July have been stressful months as I’ve dealt with a medical issue. Deep down, I was sure there was nothing seriously wrong (there wasn’t), but you still have that little bit of wondering going on. I have been trying so hard not to feel sorry for myself, but I think that may have been the wrong thing to do. I do need to take some time and feel my feelings and then move on.
I hope your results give you some answers (positive ones, too). It is difficult when you’re used to a certain level of activity…mental or physical…and just don’t feel up to it.
I’ll link my post tomorrow as it won’t post until then.
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
Hi Marsha, I’m so sorry to hear you’ve not been well and I think the not knowing is the worst part. I’m glad that your results showed nothing seriously wrong but it was still a huge worry for you. I look forward to you linking up tomorrow and reading about your month. xx
Hi Sue, I’m so sorry you have had such a difficult month or so. It is so easy to allow our minds to go into overdrive. On the other hand it is also important to acknowledge our feelings too. I hope you receive the all clear soon and can begin a full recovery. It’s so hard when our plans and normal routines have to be changed. Sending virtual hugs
Hi Janine, thanks for the virtual hugs. I’m feeling frustrated as I have a half marathon coming up in September but not sure I will be able to do it. Fingers crossed my tests come back okay and then I can refocus. x
Hi Sue, well done on sharing your July with us even though you haven’t done much due to illness and waiting for results. It’s inspiring to hear your thoughts and gives us more of an insight into your generous and caring nature. You could have just said ‘it’s all too hard’ (and no judgement there if you had) but instead you’ve come up with a brilliant post! Thank you so much for sharing, encouraging and continuing to inspire us. Take care and fingers crossed all your results will be fine.
Thanks, Deb and you’ve been a great support. It was one of those posts that came to me at 5am this morning and so I didn’t overthink it. At the moment life feels a bit overwhelming but it did help my mindset making the effort to write how I’ve been feeling. xx
Hi Sue, I’m so sorry to read that you haven’t been well! I didn’t know. I’ve been over caring for Mum every week for 4 weeks while my sister has her overseas holiday. I know how miserable being unwell makes us feel and it’s tough to keep positive when going through a rough patch. I’m thinking back to when I was hospitalised with pneumonia just before the pandemic hit. I really hope things turn around soon for you. I know how much joy you get from your running and being outdoors. Take care of yourself and fingers crossed that August is a better month for you! xo
Thanks Min, I haven’t really been posting much. Hopefully when I visit the cardiologist in two weeks the news won’t be too bad. You’ve a lot on your plate at the moment too by the sound of it. Take care of yourself and thanks for your kind words. x
Sorry to hear about all the things that happened in July – but love your positive attitude.
Thanks Barbara. Life is never dull that’s for sure. Enjoy your weekend. x
This is the post I needed to read just now Sue. As I’m also suffering with a health issue, that is causing me to worry, I can identify with all your thoughts. I appreciate the positive mind. I hope things turn around for you soon Sue.
Hi Jen, I’m so pleased you could get some take aways from the post. I hope you have your health issue sorted out soon and I’m sending best wishes to you. xx
Hi Sue, I’m sorry that you have gone through all of these health issues and health-related cancellations in July. Once again, your positive attitude and mindset turned the lessons learned into how to maintain a positive outlook when times are tough and bounce back. These tpis are helpful to anyone who’s been experiencing tough times. Thank you for co-hosting #WBOYC with Donna, Deb and Jo. I added my link. Wishing you an amazing August!
Yes, it’s been a tough month Natalie but I’m sure it will improve. I just need to get the test results back and then I can move forward. x
So sorry you have had such a difficult month but I definitely like that mindset reminder. I’ve been trying to focus more and more on what I can control and what I can not and trying to let go of those things I tend to worry about that I know are completely out of my control. I hope August treats you to better health!!
Hi Joanne, I can’t remember having such an unhealthy period, but I’ll bounce back I’m sure. It’s been difficult to just lay about but at least I’m feeling on the mend now. x
I am sorry to hear that you have had so many challenges piled on at once, Sue, but appreciate you sharing your thoughts and tips on overcoming them. I agree wholeheartedly that sometimes you just need to sit with the disappointment and allow yourself to feel all your emotions. And, of course, you are doing the right thing by resting and taking care of your body. Sending you lots of love and healing. Good luck with your next test results!
Thanks, Christie July has certainly been a test of patience that’s for sure. x
It’s amazing how little things – like being able to wash your hair – can bring you down and lift you up. And moving. You’re so right though about mindset – knowing what you can control and actually focusing on that rather than what you can’t control is so much easier said than done. Here’s hoping August brings a better health outcome, and here’s to bouncing back.
I know, washing my hair doesn’t seem a big deal but when you haven’t been able to wash it and then you do, it feels amazing. x
I’m so sorry you’ve had the health concerns and all those cancellations slowing you down this month. I love your positive outlook and the lessons learned that you shared. I know I need reminded of many of those things when I’m not feeling myself. Hope you’re having a great weekend!
Thanks Kym for your kind words. It is difficult to remain positive but we do at least have to try. I’ve had a lovely family weekend watching my grandson playing football and then seeing my son before he leaves for a UK trip at the end of the week. x
I’m so sorry to hear about your health issues, Sue! It’s great though that you use your hard times to inspire others. You’re spot on with your points about accepting your feelings and that it’s ok to feel sorry for yourself. I’m bad at that and always work hard to stay strong and positive when I shouldn’t. My mental health has paid for that this summer.
I hope you get get good news about your angiogram result and that you’ll get back to your usual self soon.
Hi Susanne lovely to read your comment and I do hope you are going okay. Life can be tough, can’t it? Take care and thanks for your best wishes. I’m sure my tests will be fine but will be glad to know the results all the same. xx
This is terrible and very un-you!! Hope you are on the mend. I totally relate to the irrational disappointment bringing you down when you cancel things. When I had covid, I kept expecting to feel better and every day that I wasn’t I’d sink lower and lower. I was mindfuol of that and a friend pointed out it was also aside effect of covid (the low mood disorder – and weirdly that made me feel better because I could see it wasn’t ‘normal’ emotions, just a trick of the disease). Take it easy while you need to, then replan all that uyou missed out on #WBOYC
Hi Lydia, it has been a shock to the system that is for sure and I’m champing at the bit. I just need to be patient and sensible until the results come through. Not long to wait now. x