I cannot believe that the second month of this brand new year is already over. I do concede it is the shortest month but the weeks seems to be zipping.
The month for me was a bit of a hit and miss. I continued my walks and listening to podcasts but there were days I felt low and not in the same zone as I was in January. When people talk about COVID fatigue, I can relate to them. The past 2 years have been very hard for our psyche and we should take 2022 slow and heal ourselves. I am taking each day as it comes and not getting disappointed at my failings!
My favourite podcast this month was How to Eat to Beat Disease by Dr William Li A lot of it is something we have learnt growing up – it felt as if I was listening to my grandmother, except that Dr Li is backed by education and my grandma with common sense. But they both had a common theme as how food can help you beat disease and contribute to your holistic well being.
My grandmother was barely literate but she was one of the most inspirational human being. She taught me a lot around values, food and family and had a big hand in shaping my outlook towards life. A lot of what Dr Li was saying, I heard from her when I was growing up, without of course the scientific evidence being quoted by him.
Dr Rangan Chatterjee mentioned something that has stayed with me – We are raising a generation without grandparents. Food and recipes used to be handed down from one generation to the next and it was how the wisdom around food benefits was retained. Now with the dispersement of the society, it is being lost.
Close to 60% of Americans eat processed food. No wonder we are seeing new diseases come through! I am grateful that I come from a culture where fresh food still remains supreme but after listening to the podcast I have definitely put that in front of my face and mind. I am making a concerted effort to cook and eat the food that I grew up with and ensuring that my family is eating fresh every day. We have our cheat days but most days are spent around the kitchen and we are loving it! Hoping that our gut bacteria are happy and thriving.
My scorecard is progressing probably gone a bit backwards this month but I am not beating myself on it – small steps is still progress.
- Health – I have continued with my walks though I missed a few days this month partially due to rainy days. I have certainly started enjoying them, the key motivation is listening to podcasts and sleeping better.
- Friends and Family – With there restrictions easing, it was great to catch up with friends. My conversations with my family has been steady and it has really helped me on days when I felt low.
- Personal Growth – I did complete a book but haven’t read in days. I did take subscription to audible and started listening to a book. It is a different experience and something that I am still getting used to.
- Money – Still keeping up my vows around not spending on things that I don’t need. I have now not spent on anything personal in two months and am proud of it.
- My Boys – We have continued to find time to spend together. It has been an effort with the routine kicking off especially with school nights getting busier but we are clinging to whatever moments we can steal. We booked a last minute getaway to Wollongong to have some family time and it was wonderful. We certainly came back refreshed.
As I am growing older, I am realising more and more that life is nothing but memories. So I am hell bent on creating and preserving the. Nothing else matters!