Being Well in Uncertain Times by Mark Tewksbury

I know that Thanksgiving has just passed here in Canada and, at the time, I had a lot to be thankful for. Our family got together outside – in October, in Calgary! – and enjoyed turkey sandwiches, potato salad and apple pie. Having the best autumn in many years, I was still riding my bike until mid-October. And then came this week.

Throughout the pandemic and the drastic changes that have been made to my life since, there was always a silver lining of some sort. No, I would no longer fly back and forth to Toronto every week like I used to but at least now I would finally be home for weeks on end and have the routine I longed for. No, I wouldn’t travel to one of my favorite holiday destinations this summer but at least I bought a bike and discovered the world-class trails around my own city. No, I wouldn’t be going to any festivals or concerts this year but I did find super interesting conferences and events that I could enjoy from my own living room online. March was brutal but heading into the summer helped. But here we are on October 20, 2020 and for me, the next six months look very different.

Is it because the days are getting shorter and I know darkness will descend even an hour earlier at the end of the month? Is it because the bike paths have been snowed over and as much as I loved it, I am not THAT hard core? Is it because after 7 months, as positive as we try to remain, this ongoing uncertainty is taking its toll? Whatever it is, I know something in me changed this week, and I must make sure to keep my well-being top of mind.

Incredibly timely, a Living Well interview I did with Mark Henick back in the middle of the summer has just been released as a longer episode. During our interview I suggest going back to some fundamental things – using power words and scripts to impact how you feel in the day; visualization of how you would like things to be to give you a sense of control back in your life; mediation and relaxation to rejuvenate and recharge. I think I need to take my own advice.

What will I commit to?

Make sure I get out of the house every day. I can easily become housebound, especially after a big grocery shop. I need to clear my head, get some air, move, even if just for a short walk.
Limit the amount of news I watch every day. The lead up to the US election is toxic but not unlike a train wreck, I can’t take my eyes off it. I am aware of how much I can take before it effects my state of mind. And less is more.
Read the books on my bedside table. I used to bike an hour or two a day, for now, what better way to fill that time!
Keep in touch with friends. The biggest thing I miss about travel is spending time with friends. I was good at first with calls and Zoom but haven’t been as diligent lately. I feel disconnected.

Have you thought about what Living Well is going to look like for you in the next six months? What will you commit to in order to make sure you are Living Well? Keep it simple, fundamental. But worth thinking about.

Listen to the full podcast interview here:

https://livingwellpodcast.libsyn.com/olympic-resilience-part-i-extra-content-mark-tewksbury