7 Things Before Turning 37
I’ve never been afraid of numbers (age, number the the scale), but this year, 37 is weighing heavy on me. After having two babies back to back, my body feels worn out. Plus, the responsibility of having children has also made me feel much more grown up. Though I can’t turn back the clock, I can take good care of myself and this seems like a good week to put my best effort forward. Here’s what I did:
Ran outside – I used to be a pretty good runner with multiple half-marathons under my belt, but it’s been a long time since I have run more than a mile outside. Turns out, nothing works as well as just peeling off the band-aid and putting one foot in front of the other. I made it 30 minutes with a brief stop to look at the lake and stretch on a bench. Half the fun of running outside is enjoying the scenery. Though this feels like a very physical practice, for me, the mental clarity I am able to achieve when running is the biggest benefit.
Cranio-sacral therapy at Ananda Healing Collective – I am so intrigued by energy work and have found the most amazing practitioner named Aubrey. This is best way I’ve been able to physically, mentally and emotionally unwind. I am not sure what happens, but once she puts her hands on my I am instantly more relaxed.
Made nourishing chicken soup and freshly baked bread – If you know me personally you know I have two modes - hyper overdrive and sleep. But for me, the sense of satisfaction in accomplishing tasks far outweighs the exhaustion of the go-go-go. With two sick kids, I decided to make a chicken soup heavy on garlic, ginger and herbs to stave off the cold I know I’ll get next week from them slobbering all over me. And my hubby even made a fresh loaf of bread. This all happened before 10 a.m. We are winning!
Rested – Thursday was a grey, gloomy day so I was okay with just staying inside. I forced myself to leave my phone downstairs as I laid down for an hour while the kids napped.
DJed and danced while spending time with great friends – My friends indulged me and let me play some of my favorite hip-hop jams from the ‘90s. They also cheered me on while I tried to compete with a video game dance competition. It was exhausting and hilarious, but so much fun. Our house parties have gotten a little tame since kids, so I suggested behaving like we were in college again and they were cool with it.
Live Music – Saturday (my actual birthday) I attended a concert at The Ivy House – our new event venue. Something about seeing live music is so inspiring and captivating – it puts me in a happy place.
Family time – To wrap up the week, we met up with my parents and cousins to check out a Christmas play (with live animals!) at a church up the street. Admittedly, my anxiety spiked a bit trying to keep my son’s hands out of the camel’s mouth and then his mouth shut while the play was going on. But being with loved ones during the holidays is a must.