Dr.'s Orders...

"Slow down.  Relax.  Breathe."...those were the Dr.'s words to me last week.  Remember that little spell of laryngitis a few weeks ago?!  Well, it took FOREVER to go away (7 days).  Then, when my voice finally came back it brought along with it a nasty cough.  The kind that makes your tummy hurt! 

Anyway, I was out with some friends one night and one of them gave me an ultimatum...either I took myself to urgent care or she was going to do it for me!  Ha!  So, I left our get-together to go see a Dr. about the "everlasting cold".  I was in the office for less than 2 minutes and was diagnosed with a bronchitis and bronchitis induced asthma.  3 prescriptions later I was out the door with strict orders to S L O W down...R E S T...B R E A T H E!

I laughed between coughs but told him I would try my best.  (Wink, wink!)  However, on the ride home I couldn't help but think maybe he was onto something.  I remembered a very wise friend and mentor of mine once told me that there would come a point in my business when *I* could take control.  I would no longer need to be working like a madwoman to make ends meet with my business.  That things would just start falling into place on their own and the fast paced "build my business" phase would end.   Having just come off a marathon stretch filled with opportunities I never in a million years dreamed I'd ever have, I thought perhaps this was the time.

It's a hard task for the perfectionist side of me to stop working for any amount of time.  My hand is almost always in the pot.  However, to hear a Dr. tell me to slow down...take time to rest...give your body time to recover.  Well...I guess that's all I needed to hear.

In the past week I have spent so much time just enjoying life.  Watching my boys play outside, planting my flowers and vegetables, reading a magazine or two.  Life is good!  And you know what...my business is still very much surviving.  In fact, I think this little "breath" has done great things for my business.  I'm feeling that surge...a little creative re-charge if you will.

So, if you find yourself feeling stressed to the point of bringing on an illness...SLOW DOWN, REST, BREATHE!!  (Dr.'s orders!)

Comments

[kathyp]

great advice for all of us! thanks for the reminder. hope you are feeling better soon.

[Dawn]

yick! Asthmatic Bronchitis........LOATHE it. Right there with you. I get it about twice a year. Dr's swear I am a heavy smoker and a drinker and I don't do either. just unlucky I guess.

Albuterol through a nebulizer helps me tons! I can't "do" inhalers, just not coordinated enough!

Feel better soon!

[Tera Windfeldt]

I love reading your blog Jamie - it's refreshing. I'm taking your advice and quitting proofing for the night to go to bed.

Feel better soon!

[Stephanie]

I'm glad you're on the 'feeling kinda better' side of things. It's just awful to be sick. And..I'm so glad you posted this. Something I really needed to hear and think about today. :D Thank you! (and thank your Dr. Too! :D) Have a great, RELAXING weekend watching your little ones be little. That's the best cure for anything..:D

[Amy]

I feel like I am being told all of the time to slow down. I just don't feel 'right' unless I am doing about 5 things at once. However, once school is out and I can dedicate my "day time" to my business, I hope my evenings can be more relaxing. If I could just figure out how TO relax! At least before the bronchitis sneaks up on me too! LOL! Glad you are feeling better. Congrats on being at THAT point in your business!

[Shelley]

It's so hard to rest! Even if you take a work break there's so much to catch up with around the house. And with kids ... don't doctors know that mommies can't rest. At least that's how it is for me. So, good luck trying to rest! I'm moving in a few weeks and there will be no resting here!!