If you read my 2022 wrap up post, you know that I wanted my word to be Joy. The lessons of Feminine energy are everywhere and it seemed that it was choosing me. However, neither word felt quite right.
Thursday, I had counseling. We were discussing my medicine change. It was an interesting conversation because they had changed it a while back and I felt absolutely nothing. Then I refilled my prescriptions and all of a sudden, I had side effects/ positive and negative. It was as if the one bottle of medication wasn’t working or something. It was strange. This trailed off into nutrition discussion.
She had taken a course and learned how determential low B vitamin levels could be to mental health. She said she knew that it play a part but never realized the deep significance because it really isn’t taught in school. My nutrition coaching knowledge was nerding out completely. I have the MTHFR mutation and some in the medical community dismiss it and others lean into it heavily. It means that my body does metabolize B vitamins properly. Supplements are required for it. I had realized at the same time of the medicine change, I had run out and was not taking it. It fit with her class perfectly. Who knows if I had a bad batch of meds or if my b vitamins were low, I just know that I am now feeling better – the climb out is happening.
I told her of a conversation that Aaron and I had about 2023. Aaron doesn’t like to pay attention to health. I obsess about health. I was telling her that we both need to be intentional in 2023. He knows that nutrition won’t solve his problems but it could help minimize it. I have been healing my relationship with food and not really doing anything “diet” related. The doctor mentioned me getting back to it with a healthy less obsessive spin. So Aaron and I agree on 2023, we were going to be intentional in our eating. No dieting or depriving BUT intentional in the ways it could help us, like water, veggies and less sugar and fried foods. She asked why we choose the wording the way we did. In order for us to have our farm, our health needs to be in good shape but there will be no joy if we are miserable with all of our meals. This is how we think we can make sustainable choices. Even through the holidays, we have lost weight with no obsession.
We circled back to my meds specifically my anxiety and a couple of trips I am taking. I explained the plan with the doctor because one of them, sends me into panic attacks just thinking about it. I am sorry, I have to leave the details outs to protect the guilty. I said to her, the doctor wants me to be intentional with my anxiety meds while I am there. Don’t wait until I need one but take one in the morning and afternoon every day for two days leading up to it and the whole trip. She said she thought it was a smart plan and it sounded like we had really thought things through.
As we began to wrap, we discussed my next visit and 2023 plans. She asked about my word of the year. I have seen her long enough, she knows my philosophy. She said it sounds it is going to be intentional based on how many times you said that word today. I laughed and said no, and I walked her through my Focus, 2022 wrap up. As we were talking, it became very clear that my word should be intentional. It fits where I am trying to go and so it became my word right there. I sat on it for a couple of days to make sure and it is still very strong.
If I learned anything during 2022 and the couple of years prior, I am not in control of most things. The world is going to happen. Events will shift my focus and remind of me where I need to be. Life will be sometimes be hard. However, I am in control of how I show up. I can show show up and participate intentionally.
Many people walk through life just subconsciously allowing things to happen. it’s like they sleep walk through life. It is why I think the pandemic brought out so many mental health issues but that is a discussion for another time.
I want to walk through life wide open. I tell my clients, every moment is a choice and you get to decide who you want to be. This is one of my favorite lessons from coaching school. So rather than be reactive, I am going to start choosing how and who I want to be. I am going to take those moments and choose who I want to be. I will probably stumble because I have unlearn some things.
We know that this means lessons will happen. This time next year, I will tell you how differently it played out than what I was expecting. Here’s to be INTENTIONAL in 2023.
Note: I am sharing some of this information because I want to normalize mental health and getting proper help. As a coach, there are still a lot of times, things are out of my scope and mental health professions are required. When I mention this, it can offend people. Don’t be offended because I use them and I am unashamed.
