Last week was my first week back of regular training, and it was awesome! :) Did it make up for the four weeks I missed while recovering from a concussion? Almost.. it was that good of a week. :P
I am one of those people who truly believes that everything happens for a reason, even if it puts me through a ridiculously miserable and horrible time. Luckily this time around, it was only slightly miserable and I was able to use the time to practice what I've learned and to keep growing.
The last four weeks I have been reminded of/learned:
1. I have the best friends and family. They kept calling and texting to check up on me and to remind me to listen to the doctor's orders so I won't prolong healing. Normally I dislike talking on the phone, but I had no problem answering the phone the first few weeks since I was inundated with love each time, and it broke the monotony of laying in bed all day.
2. For someone who is self sufficient and always has a long to-do list, being asked to do nothing was beyond hard. My roommates tried to wait on me hand and foot despite my best efforts to ignore their pleas. I had to be chauffeured everywhere, and even then, sitting in the car was unbearable and causing headaches. I wasn't allowed any screen time and I had to helplessly watch the inbox count increase daily -- that was the worse! I love getting stuff done, and stuff was not getting done.
3. Sleep. We have not been the best of friends, but we definitely got closer. The first week alone after the concussion, I ended up sleeping as much as I did the previous two weeks combined. Crazy! I've definitely picked up more good sleep habits from this stint and restarted a proper circadian rhythm.
4. Not being able to exercise or train bothered me the most because of the goals I have for the year. The fear of losing too much fitness and not being able to get it back was a huge stressor the first few days, and it made my headaches worse. But after accepting what had happened and that brain recovery was the newest and highest priority goal, everything got easier. I learned to let go and was willing to not be as competitive at Worlds if it meant I would be healed and able to return to doing what I love.
5. By the end of the fourth week, I actually started to enjoy doing nothing, which is something I've been trying so hard to learn the last decade. As life ramps back up, I need to remember and cherish this lesson by socializing more, sleeping more, doing less, and letting go. Chillaxing like a pro. I'm going to be ice cold!
Stop, collaborate and listen.
Ice is back, I got a brand new invention
Something grabs a hold of me tightly
Flow like a harpoon daily and nightly
will it ever stop? Yo - I don't know.
Now turn off the lights and I'll glow..
..Ice Ice Baby
Everything happens for a reason. There's no point in getting mad or stressed over it. The sooner I learn my lessons, the better, right?
