My ambition and confidence was draining—step step by step, calorie by calorie, word by word, and (dare I say) subscriber by subscriber. Then James Taylor took the stage...
Such a lovely mindful essay, Catherine... I think I really began letting go of the counting, tracking, measuring and comparing after I turned 65, and moved to my loft, 6 years ago. It's the perfect home for me, finally. A couple of months after settling in, I had emergency open heart surgery. After that, my whole outlook on what's important began shifting, as things do after a life-altering experience. I loved reading this, and being reminded of all those wonderful James Taylor songs that were a huge part of my own creative development... ( take a peek at my post All My Creative Lives... https://kanderson.substack.com/p/all-my-creative-lives )
Oh I just love this. What a beautifully written piece firstly, and secondly it really resonates. I took my fitbit watch off about 4 years ago as was sick of being constantly pinged and poked and told I wasn't doing enough. (I don't wear a watch and I have my phone on permanent silent for the same reason.) My life is busy and demanding enough and I need to not be constantly harangued by notifications. But also the data!! Calories, pounds, likes ... it's exhausting. You are so right... we need to be left in peace to trust ourselves and enjoy the journey. Happy anniversary too!
I had to count calories and track my food (and BM's!) on a LowFODMAP program a year or so ago when I couldn't go to the bathroom properly for almost two years. It was agonizing, so I had to reset my gut. I was highly motivated because being constipated for almost two years was extremely uncomfortable and painful. As a result, I didn't mind tracking and I was very curious to see if it would work (it did, but it took more than 6 months instead of six weeks!) Anyhow, now, I don't track food or exercise. I would feel EXACTLY what you're feeling if I did! For whatever reason, it was OK when I did it to try to heal my body, but if it's just to "lose 20 pounds" I can't do it. Messes with my head!
Oof, low FODMAP is so hard! I've had my own battles with IBS and I'm so glad you found a good solution. Data and tackers are absolutely helpful in this way--thinking of blood pressure and glucose monitors too. And getting control of your physical health is vital for mental health too.
I wanted to name my daughter Catherine. Such a smooth sounding and beautiful name, but we went with Bronwyn instead.
I’m an old HS friend of Peter or should I say Felix? (That must be a be your name for him) He came down to visit with Lee and others a couple years back when we had just moved to Stockbridge. I like Pete. I like Stockbridge and JT. I really enjoyed your honest writing here too.
Such a lovely mindful essay, Catherine... I think I really began letting go of the counting, tracking, measuring and comparing after I turned 65, and moved to my loft, 6 years ago. It's the perfect home for me, finally. A couple of months after settling in, I had emergency open heart surgery. After that, my whole outlook on what's important began shifting, as things do after a life-altering experience. I loved reading this, and being reminded of all those wonderful James Taylor songs that were a huge part of my own creative development... ( take a peek at my post All My Creative Lives... https://kanderson.substack.com/p/all-my-creative-lives )
Thank you. I hope you are still singing!
Oh I just love this. What a beautifully written piece firstly, and secondly it really resonates. I took my fitbit watch off about 4 years ago as was sick of being constantly pinged and poked and told I wasn't doing enough. (I don't wear a watch and I have my phone on permanent silent for the same reason.) My life is busy and demanding enough and I need to not be constantly harangued by notifications. But also the data!! Calories, pounds, likes ... it's exhausting. You are so right... we need to be left in peace to trust ourselves and enjoy the journey. Happy anniversary too!
"trust ourselves and enjoy the journey..." That's it! All of this data is sucking the life out of our intuitive souls.
I had to count calories and track my food (and BM's!) on a LowFODMAP program a year or so ago when I couldn't go to the bathroom properly for almost two years. It was agonizing, so I had to reset my gut. I was highly motivated because being constipated for almost two years was extremely uncomfortable and painful. As a result, I didn't mind tracking and I was very curious to see if it would work (it did, but it took more than 6 months instead of six weeks!) Anyhow, now, I don't track food or exercise. I would feel EXACTLY what you're feeling if I did! For whatever reason, it was OK when I did it to try to heal my body, but if it's just to "lose 20 pounds" I can't do it. Messes with my head!
Oof, low FODMAP is so hard! I've had my own battles with IBS and I'm so glad you found a good solution. Data and tackers are absolutely helpful in this way--thinking of blood pressure and glucose monitors too. And getting control of your physical health is vital for mental health too.
Thanks for reading, Don!
Hi Catherine
I wanted to name my daughter Catherine. Such a smooth sounding and beautiful name, but we went with Bronwyn instead.
I’m an old HS friend of Peter or should I say Felix? (That must be a be your name for him) He came down to visit with Lee and others a couple years back when we had just moved to Stockbridge. I like Pete. I like Stockbridge and JT. I really enjoyed your honest writing here too.
Thank you.
Don