Mom Says:
Everything in the world needs maintenance.
Cars need lube jobs, lawns need trimming, machines need oiling, anything with moving parts requires an element of attention.
The same could be said for the human body.
We need to take time to maintain this machine. To support it with the proper care, in order to keep running at optimal speed.
Yet, even though this machine carries us through the day, walking miles upon miles, working limbs and brain, pushing itself past limits of exhaustion we quickly forget that we need to DO something for it to right side.
And if you think investing in maintenance is expensive, wait till you have to repair…
I didn’t have the best of Februarys.
I was drowning. To try and find that harmony between the drive of business, the presence of motherhood and the support of being a spouse/friend was feeling impossible. Instead of doing well in one of them, I was lost in all.
And I was questioning if I was going to break.
We were supposed to head to Nicaragua together. The past months beyond hectic in both our work, the sun and beach calling our name. Last minute, Chris had to forgo the trip but he told me to go…and heal.
So I did. Taking a much needed “maintenance break” for my mind and my body. I realized while away, we need to do that more often. Sherry, a lovely friend I met on the trip talked a lot about being a better mom by coming home rested, relaxed and ready to take on the world. It was good advice and something I realized I needed to heed.
After a week of being unplugged, quiet and still I felt stronger and more present than I have in a long time. I was quiet. I was still. I laughed. I connected with other women. It was just what I needed.
I have started creating a maintenance schedule to figure out how to best take care of me.
After all, you spend money to maintain every part of your machines why wouldn’t you spend some on the most important one?
Dad says:
It is interesting the way the body responds to stressors: Get in a fight, the adrenalin gets pumping. Get tired and you can fire up the neurons a bit to counteract. Hell, you can even go chemical and maintain the state through artificial means. The problem is, you can’t run on turbo mode for an extended period of time. After a while you need to gear down and get back to 0.
Jenn went through that. She was trying to do too much on her own, and it was dragging her down. She tried to counteract it by exercise and yoga, but even that was jammed in. I’m no yogi master, but I believe that that is not the right context for enlightenment…
So when she had a opportunity to get away, I pushed her to go. Original plan had me tagging along, but life gets in the way sometimes and she wound up flying solo. And honestly, it was better that way. She had an opportunity for an unencumbered reset, where she was able to do some girly things with the Pacific ocean as the backdrop to healing. I would have changed the dynamic, and maybe not for the better because… boys. So while I was away, Jenn was able to dig a little deeper and chip away more of the grime that life leaves on you. I can say that upon her return she is more balanced and ready to take on the day. I guess if anyone can say that then, hey, success huh?
Jenn went to Nicaragua with Dynamic Retreats to the beautiful eco-resort, El Coco Loco.
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