Is there anybody out there? or One important lesson of life.
Hello, my lovely new followers and my loyal old followers! I’m back. I thought before we go back to our usual fashion blogging it would be fair to give some explanation as to why I’ve been silent for almost a month. Plus, I think some may even find this story useful. As an old Russian saying states: ‘Smart people learn from others mistakes and only fools learn from their own’. The reality is I belong to the second category. Don’t get me wrong I’m an intelligent woman with 8 years of University education and years of corporate work behind me but when it comes to listening to others, well, it’s not my strong point and sometimes you need to know when to listen.
So when I got sick almost a month ago, I ignored it. I tweeted a couple of times about feeling unwell, but really, fashion bloggers as you know, are invincible. They have no right to get sick (or at least I thought so). So I continued on and genuinely believed my sickness would be gone the next day while each day it actually got worse. I started the SoNailicious nail challenge and began writing a nail art book. As the challenge progressed, so did my condition. I still didn’t pay any attention and disregarded any advice about having more rest. Eventually I had to stop writing for CrashingRed simply because I was too weak and too sick.
Somehow I finished the challenge and even flew to Melbourne. I didn’t get to finish my book on time because I ended up in a hospital. It was all pretty tragic and I don’t want to go into details but it was the worst sickness experience in my life.
The only reason I’m sharing this story with you, dear readers, is because I want you to learn from my mistakes and avoid such dramas in your life. Below are the steps I’m going to take to get healthy again and I hope some of you might try this too.
1) Good diet. I wasn’t eating well, missing meals sometimes, eating rubbish sometimes. The thing is, our bodies need a certain amount of vitamins and nutrients to function properly.
2) Exercise. I’m not talking about spending hours in the gym. Realistically, not many people have time for that. What I’m talking about is going for walks daily, doing some kind of physical activity at least a couple of times a week for at least for 20 minutes. Jogging, swimming, dancing, yoga, whatever makes you happy.
3) Sleep. I have never been a big fan of sleeping but as practical experience shows sleeping less then 4 hours everyday for more then 2 days in a row (not to say 2 years in my case) is not good for ya! So I’m going to start sleeping. When you’re rested you’re actually more productive and tasks that can take you 2 hours after midnight you can accomplish in 15 minutes before 11 am.
4) Prioritize and sacrafice. We can’t do everything, we can’t be on top of everything, but we can choose one or two things and focus on them. This rule will be applied to all areas of my life, social media inclusive. I used to spend hours on Twitter, for what? To become Twitter Mogul? Comical isn’t it? Maybe I could go for a walk (tick off Step 2) instead surfing the net?
5) Make time for myself and time to accomplish the above. Lack of time isn’t an excuse anymore because if you can’t make up time for yourself to ensure the basics of a healthy lifestyle are met, what kind of life is that?
The above steps aren’t some kind of revalation, we ALL know them. The thing is that we make up excuses for not doing any of them. Especially new mums who are still working like myself. It’s so easy to get caught up in daily routine and not see that while the world around you is still spinning YOU are the one who makes it spin and YOU are the one who needs energy for that.
So dear readers, today eat a proper cooked meal instead of two muffins & a coffee or get up and and go for a short walk. If you can do that I’ll consider my mission accomplished and this post will have done what it was meant to do – inspire you to start looking after yourself better. Don’t start next week or next year, start now!
Make sure you share your tips on a healthy lifestyle too. How do you deal with daily pressures, where do you find energy to do it all? Share with us, we’d love to hear!
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Thank you for taking time to leave a comment! However, the comments section has been playing up recently. It's only working if you leave your name & email. Thanks for understanding, Maria xx
Oh hun, hope you’re better now! I notice you hadn’t blogged here in ages but since So Nailicious was still going strong I thought you must be concentrating on that blog for now. I hope you’re better now, and welcome back! xo
Thank you Lilit! The only way SoNailicious ‘survived’ I had dozens of posts that I wrote before things started happening. Still enough to blog everyday till May! But the challenge – OMG! it was so challenging in so many ways. But regardless I just couldn’t stop – it would be a real epic fail then. Strangely, I miss painting nails everyday though. xx
Good to hear your back on your feet Maria. It happens to the best of us, making mistakes when we know they are mistakes but disregarding them at the time of committing it. I’m glad things are coming back together for you and looking forward to more posts from you :) x
Thank you lovely!! Yes, people do that all the time – it’s much easier to disregard a problem (any problem) rather than trying to solve it. Oh well, lesson learned! And now we’re moving into a brighter and healthier future! xx
I hope you are OK now Maria. I saw a couple of tweets about hospital(!) We need to catch up soon, preferably after you’ve had a sleep. We can eat something healthy and go for a walk :)
Yes, let’s catch up soon! Actually, we could a picnic on weekend. Picnic with a view and lots of healthy food! xx
Picnic sounds good! I’m heading to Japan on Tuesday, so I’ll see how my packing and, yes, late nights blogging 3 extra weeks in advance goes ;) I’ll call you guys x
Get some guest bloggers in! omg 3 week in advance. sounds crazy! Looking forward to catching up!!! pack, pack and then call us! x
good to see you back maria and to hear that you’re doing much better now x
Thank you Rachel! x
So glad to hear you are feeling better! I can relate to this story and can’t agree more with the points you make. For me it was being slack with sleep and I have paid the price! It takes effort to get back into good routines but is well worth it. Hope things continue to improve ASAP! :) xxx
Thank you Sarah!!! Yes, sleep is the easiest solution to many emotional and health problems. I was just an idiot (yes! i was!) thinking I’m some kind of super human who can function on 4 hours a day. Back into good routines, we go! Ain’t that easy though. Habits are so difficult to change but I’m on it! xxx
Doll, crazy!! I’m glad you are better, was wondering what was going on, I commented here and stuff, but there was no reply & then I fell ill with a bad flu and just couldn’t keep up. It is very important to take care of ourselves. We seem to do too much at times and not enough resting…you must take care!! Wouldn’t want anything more to happen to you :))) You’ve been missed. I hope fluff is well too. Keep resting and you will feel much better soon. We’ll always be here :))) *hugs*
Oh Kizzy! You too! See what we’re doing to ourselves?! Crazy women. You’re right, we must take of ourselves better! Hugs to you too, my friend! xxx
This post is so true! I have started exercising every morning for 20-30 minutes before the busy day begins and that has helped me tremendously to power through. I also try to do a few minutes of yoga or meditation before going to bed as I have difficulties falling asleep and that has helped me a lot. It’s amazing how such small changes can improve your well-being tenfold! Well done for reminding everyone to take care of themselves!
Thank you Miranda! I love your idea about doing yoga before bed. I actually used to do practice yoga before I fell into that unhealthy pattern. Its time to start again! And yes, a little work out every morning is also a great idea. Hmm… I shall do it too! Thank you again.
I hope you’re fine again.. Already missed you but you are absolutely right with what you wrote about taking care of yourself. Last year I had similar problems, which I ignored and instead of finding a cure I just went on – cause I simply had to. Well, that’s at least what I thought. Fortunately I learned from my mistake and take time for myself and sleep enough.
See? Same thing! It doesn’t matter where we are in the world. People are people and we make the same mistakes! At least, we can learn from our experiences Antonia-Ivana and turn dramas into lessons :)
Hope you’re feeling much better now Maria!
xx
Thank you Steph! And, yes, getting better – even was able to actually think and type ;) xx
Welcome back Maria! Missed your posts! Today is my 7th consecutive day doing work and college and I’m starting to feel the burn. But honestly, I can’t find the time off! Being poor doesn’t help either…. lol xx
I hear you Aryanny! I was a working student too. Good thing is your education will pay for itself, sooner than you think! And, its something you’ll never lose. If it will get too much, maybe do less subjects, as an option? xx
The reality is once you become a mother that is a full time job and takes up most of your time. Something else has got to give and sleeping tends to be the first thing but not the most sensible solution. I’ve not know a single blogger that can keep up with all the work involved once motherhood hits. So what I’m saying is it’s ok to let some things slide, it only gets harder as they get older so prioritize what’s really makes you healthy and happy
Thank you! I needed to hear that Cintia! Because you know how blogging is – it all looks effortless and smooth (sometimes glamorous) but in reality any blog requires insane amount of time and effort. And, yes, I’ll be learning how to let it (some things) go. x
Setting clearly defined boundaries for yourself and others around you is absolutely necessary. You need to know what your limits are and when to slow down. I am working full time and I thought I would take on a Masters Degree this year part time. Today, I chose “me” and I withdrew out of the course as I felt like I had too much on already. I felt super elated and happy after I made this choice for myself.
“be gentle with yourself and take care of yourself”. You are “most important”. A thought that often comes to mind if I feel like I have to get up and push myself is “what use will I be to anyone in a state of illness/tiredness and ultimate exhaustion”. Need to take care of me first. Good luck with your new found meaning of taking care of yourself, it’s amazing how incredibly healing that stage is in one’s life after an experience that really makes you re-evaluate everything around you.
I couldn’t agree more! Its interesting how we humans operate, often it requires a drama to understand and embrace such simple (but not always apparent) things!
Maria thinking of you so much and hear hear!!! I KNOW how you must be feeling – I just blogged a similar post last week re my absence. It extraordinary isn’t it. For two intelligent women you’d think we would have known better.
It’s ironic now – I’ve hardly been on twitter at all anymore.
Hugs lovely virtual friend
Lisa (loulou) x
Oh no, Lisa!!! I hope you’re getting better too and let’s promise each other – we’ll after ourselves better from now and on! xx
All these are quite common sense and simple and somehow we just don’t follow them. :/ Hope you’re feeling better.
You had us worried for awhile there when you were in hospital Maria! Glad you’re better and finding time to look after yourself :)