I’ve been told that I carry the weight of the world.
I do carry a lot of stories, secrets, and problems from around the world; I believe that is true of all changemakers.
Apparently, it’s true not only of my heart but my body. My numbers were up at my annual doctor visit. Cholesterol. Weight. And anxiety.
At the appointment, my trusted P.A. prescribed me Lexapro to help with the anxiety and hot flashes (that’s a whole other post), and she prescribed me nutrition coaching-because I’m now “prediabetic.”
This is my Moxie Moment. Seeing my doctor (I usually put off appointments for me), acknowledging that my numbers are not healthy, and accepting help.
Make that appointment.
At coffee the next day, I told my friend that I was prescribed nutrition coaching.
“According to my BMI, I’m obese!” she replied. We laughed so hard I spit out my sweetened coffee. She’s beautiful-not obese.
The research on BMI and other health standards based on men’s bodies is a whole other post; I’ll leave this article here for now. Is B.M.I. a Scam? - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
I looked down at my cinnamon roll and caramel frappe and told her, “I will make the appointment.”
“What appointment do you need to make?” I asked.
She said that after homeschooling her son for the past year and now supporting her daughter through the IEP process that instead of running away to Bali and leaving her family behind, she would make a therapy session for herself.
I was telling a college friend at dinner about being prescribed nutrition coaching. We were eating pizza and drinking a beautiful wine from Willamette.
I shared my recent realization that women make appointments for their partners, children, parents, and other people they love, but not for themselves.
“What appointment do you need to make?”
She said she almost missed our dinner, because she had such a bad migraine the day before on her flight home that she thought she was going to have to ask the pilot to land. This isn’t the first migraine that would have stopped us from hanging out.
I asked, “What’s stopping you from scheduling a doctor’s appointment?”
She travels a lot internationally and doesn’t have a primary care doctor. After living overseas for so long and now being self-employed and having to shop around and change insurance every year, I rarely have a primary care doctor. I get that.
She said she would make an appointment and gave me permission to checkin.
My friend Stacy’s child has cancer and although she is in remission, she has lots of appointments every week. Lately, Stacy has been missing work from stomach problems.
“I’m worried about you Stacy,” I said. She agreed and said her mom is worried about her too. Her mom never worries about anything.
“When are you going to make an appointment?”
“After I’ve taken care of Sarah. Her appointments come first.”
I’m at a festival with my friend who is 23 and tell her about my week of women not making appointments for themselves.
“There’s one more story. I can’t think of it.”
“Me?” she asked. “Did I tell you how I’m worried about this mole?”
She shows it to me.
“No,” I reply, “What is stopping you?”
“What if it’s cancer?”
Carrying the weight of the world stops us from taking care of ourselves.
What was stopping me from making the appointment? Being told I was fat? Making sure everybody else was ok? Being told that I can’t eat donuts ever again? Not being perfect?
I made my appointment for nutrition coaching.
Dear Moxie,
We carry the weight of the world, and it’s scary. Let’s take care of ourselves, so we can take care of others.
What appointment have you been putting off? Make that appointment and comment below DONE.
Let’s normalize needing help, asking for helping, and accepting help.
Until next time, #MoxieOn. Kristi
PS. I went to my first nutrition coaching appointment last week. Tonight, I’m having spaghetti with protein (apparently it lowers sugars) and green beans (adding more veggies is the number one thing I can do to lower my A1C) instead of cheesy bread. My goal is not to give up donuts but to do one thing a day to lower my A1C.
PPS. If you’re ready enough to make changes in your life, I have two openings for the PoWercourse. Hit reply to learn more.
Very powerful post. I’m here for you. Love you.
Powerful post! Put your oxygen mask on first…if it makes sense on an airplane it should feel safe and permissible everywhere else too.