In my previous article, Birthdays, Childhood Trauma, and Learning to Let Go, I wrote about a birthday that brought old feelings to the surface. My father’s unexpected arrival left me feeling afraid, unseen, and unwanted. Even when I understood where those feelings came from, it took time to feel settled again.
My physical health had also worsened during this period. I could not explain every symptom, and I still cannot. But I began paying closer attention to the ordinary things I do each day: what I eat, what I drink, and how I speak to myself when I am not feeling well.
When I am trying to understand something painful, it is easy to spend a lot of time in my thoughts. I look for meaning, revisit memories, and try to recognize what I have missed. Sometimes I need to come back to something as ordinary as preparing a meal or making a cup of tea. That is why Eckhart Tolle’s book, The Power of Now, has been so helpful.
I make fresh tea with ginger, lemon, and cinnamon. I enjoy preparing it and having something warm to drink, especially on days when I don’t feel well.
I also include kefir or plain yogurt when they agree with my digestion. My meals are mainly greens and protein, and I have been noticing how I feel after different foods. Some fruits and sugary foods seem to leave me feeling worse. I am trying to observe those patterns without turning every meal into another thing to worry about.
That distinction matters to me. Paying attention can help me understand my own experience, but it does not give me all the answers. I do not want to assume that a food is harmful simply because I felt unwell after eating it once, or that something will suit everyone because it suits me.
I have also tried different home remedies and currently take magnesium, omega-3 fish oil capsules, B12, and creatine. I am still learning what is appropriate for me. I don’t want to turn my personal routine into advice for someone else, especially when health conditions, medicines, and individual needs can be so different.
There is a temptation, when you feel unwell, to keep searching for one more thing that might help. I recognize that in myself. But caring for my body also means taking symptoms seriously and seeking appropriate care, rather than trying to explain everything through food or emotions.
My inner work continues alongside this. Some days, I can recognize an old feeling without being completely caught in it. Other days, I need more time and support. I am trying not to judge the whole process by how I feel on a single morning.
Faith helps me through those days. So do the people who call or stop by. After spending so much time alone, I sometimes forget how much comfort there is in an ordinary conversation with someone who cares.
If you find it easier to write with a little guidance, The Five Minute Journal offers short daily prompts for reflection. Its focus is gratitude, so it may suit you if you want a simple daily routine. If you would rather write freely about whatever comes up, an ordinary notebook may be a better choice.
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In the birthday article, I wrote about wanting my inner child to feel free enough to jump for joy. That hope is still with me. For now, I am also learning to care for the adult woman I am today: the one who works, prepares her meals, makes her tea, and sometimes needs to admit that she is having a difficult day.
I don’t have a perfect routine or a clear answer to everything I am experiencing. What I have is a growing willingness to listen to myself, accept support, and give my body care without asking it to recover on my schedule.
Some days, that begins with making lunch and sitting down to eat it.
