“Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we’re supposed to be and embracing who we are.”
— Brené Brown
2023 was quite the year of change for me, not because I wasn’t good enough as I was, but because it was needed to thrive. Fate has a way of getting our attention sometimes and you just know it’s go time. My health was at what I’d describe as my lowest place and it was starting to manifest itself in scary ways. I felt like I was struggling to think clearly and the lack of sleep for months was starting to put my body in a dangerous health space. Having the option to retire, but not feeling it was the right time to do it, fate gave me the clear signal it was time. My husband became ill suddenly in late November 2022 and required surgery. With a 90% blockage in what is called the “widow maker” artery in his heart, I realized just how close we came to losing it all. These life events really make you stop in your tracks.
Realizing just how lucky we were to have gotten through this, I knew it was time to make some changes to my lifestyle choices. My husband was in far better health than I was, or so we thought, so I worried about what was happening inside my body. Following full medical checkups, I began again the journey to reclaim my health. Where in the past, it may have been easy to become derailed, this time I knew the actual stakes involved in making these necessary changes.
2024 will be the continuation of this journey as I continue to focus on learning and growing my knowledge base to improve my choices. I am continuing my focus on self growth and plan to take a deeper dive into my yoga practice starting this month. I am taking a yoga teacher training course to deepen my understanding of Hatha yoga. Self reflection will remain the cornerstone of my work when it comes to life choices and health. With that in mind as I begin 2024, I am reflecting on things I will be letting go and things I will grow.
Things I Will Be Letting Go Of
- Making assumptions - I have no way of knowing another’s motives, so I will not engage in trying to.
- Negative self talk – I am breaking up with my inner critic.
- Overthinking – I can’t analyze everything
- Saying no too quickly
- Alchohol – I never knew just how much it ages me
- Doing too much – Overdoing just exhausts me and I don’t have to do it all
- Fear of failure – I don’t have to be perfect all the time to succeed, especially as I try new things
Things I Will Grow
- Relationships – Continue making new friends and deepen the relationships I have
- Self Love – Continuing to be kinder to myself through self reflection and meditation walks
- Saying Yes – Stepping outside the comfort zone and trying new things. Adding to the bucket list.
- Boundaries – Being more conscious of creating healthy boundaries as I engage in my relationships.
- Healthy Lifestyle – What can I learn and do to continue on this journey?
These are my thoughts as of today, January 2, 2024. I am sure there are more items I need to reflect on and will grow or revise this list as I go through the year. What can you let go of this year, what can you keep and grow? I’d love to hear about your journey, so feel free to reach out through email at laurakump@reclaiminghealth.blog or comments below. May you have a healthy and happy year of growth in 2024.
Reclaiming My Health 