Life is good when all your hard effort is paying off

LIVING NATURALLY with Olwen Anderson

Once you've achieved your wellness, don't let it slide and put all your hard work to waste. Picture: torwai

LIVING NATURALLY with Olwen Anderson

IT CAN sneak up on you, but one day you realise: it's happening. Finally. All the work you've been putting in to boosting your health is paying off.

The reason this realisation can sneak up on you is because we so easily forget what we're not continually reminded of. When you are in pain or have trouble getting around, experience that foggy feeling of sleep deprivation, or try to cope with dragging fatigue, your body reminds you constantly of what's wrong. But this time you listened. And did the work that had to be done to get yourself well.

So, for some time now you've been diligently climbing under the doona early enough to get a solid eight hours shut-eye. You've been making the time to source fresh food and prepare wholesome meals. Your running shoes are showing signs they're wearing out from your daily exercise. You've even made meditation as much a part of your routine as brushing your teeth.

It was hard work at first; especially hard to manage yourself to do what you knew had to be done. But then the morning comes where you wake feeling truly rested and refreshed. You jump out of bed without having to hobble down the hallway due to stiff joints, aches and pains. Work is getting done, and that mid-afternoon energy slump that used to sap your productivity has evaporated. Somehow you feel happier, your mood is positive again, more stable, and you feel like you're getting along with your loved ones better.

Now that you've achieved this wellness you don't want to slide backwards; that could be all too easy. Now you're feeling better you could too easily listen to your inner toddler whinging that you don't need to exercise today really, you're fit now. You could decide that you're too busy to prepare good food for this meal so just pick up some take-away. And to skip meditating because your mood is already good. But you know that if you give in to this natural laziness all those unpleasant feelings and physical symptoms might return, just as gradually and subtly as they left.

You don't want to lose what you've worked so hard to achieve. So give yourself a pat on the back for having got this far, and keep it up. The more you do, the more that little voice inside discouraging you from trying will fade away. Enjoy feeling well!

Olwen Anderson is a naturopath and counsellor. Contact her atwww.olwenanderson.com.au