The Wind Provides the Best Blowouts

Time flies when you fail to realize how precious each moment is.  

Whether you consider time to be money or an opportunity cost (for the economists out there), it is clear that time is the underlying measure of our lives.  Time is a finite resource that belongs to each and everyone of us.  Of all the resources available on this planet, time is the most socially equitable form of currency – no matter where we come from or what we look like, we each have time.  We spend it as we choose, often spent in the pursuit of various objectives.  At one point or another, our time will run out, baring any future technology that will extend our lives indefinitely.  In the interim, we are given opportunity to spend this precious and valuable resource in the manner we feel is best.  Do we waste our time?  What makes the use of our time productive?  Do we enjoy the time we spend on various activities – be it at work, on our smartphone, or waiting in line to board a train?

I have come to realize that time is the measure of our lives. Time is best memorialized in moments, whether positive or negative.  If this logic is correct, then moments are the best measure of our lives.  There are those who are said to ‘live in the moment’ and then there are the rest of us.

Prior to falling ill with lyme disease, I could not recall meeting someone who truly ‘lived in the moment,’ as I understood that phrase to mean.  To me, living in the moment meant taking actions for immediate enjoyment notwithstanding the consequences those actions will have tomorrow.  I was socialized to view those actions as irresponsible, reckless and downright stupid at times.

When faced with the prospect of not being able to do things that made me happy, I began to realize how important it was to spend my time in a way that pursued happiness for me and others.  Rather than working long hours to buy something bright and shiny (think, handbags), my time could be better spent exploring my neighbourhood, meeting new people, and taking up a hobby I never got around to starting.

What I once thought to be reckless before and is now one of the best ways to spend my time, is letting the wind provide my hair with a blowout.  It is better on my ears than having a series of hair straighteners and blow dryers bombard your hair for half an hour.  And it is likely better for my hair than heated products.  What I like the most is the way the wind feels as it brushes past my face and into my hair.  Depending on how windy it is, the wind provides both a soothing and enlightening feeling.

I may not be as graceful as Pocahontas in describing the colours of the wind, but I can tell you that a wind based blowout is one of the few moments that I enjoy living in.

Listen to your heart

Survival-Mode

We often live our lives in survival mode – ensuring we can handle whatever life throws at us given our current strengths and abilities.  Very rarely do we move beyond survival to begin to thrive in order to attain a higher purpose in life.

I had an emotional release therapy session yesterday.  For those unfamiliar, emotional release is a form of massage therapy that attempts to relax your body while releasing emotions that are ‘trapped’ within your joints and tissues.  I was skeptical about this, but having heard multiple reviews from my colleagues I decided to perform one with an open mind.

My session started and ended with a single finding: I am trapped in survival mode.  For anyone who is, or knows someone who is, battling lyme disease, they will be familiar with the daily struggle to get your life back.  For almost 16 months, this has been my goal.  Yet in the process there has been considerable turnover and change in my life that I have been forced to accommodate, as opposed to direct.  Why? Because my focus has been on becoming physically healthy rather than to live my best life.

Granted, before falling ill I had reverted to auto-pilot mode.  I merely went with the flow of life and the pursuit for societal deemed appropriate career goals.  I was not the captain of my own life, as I was while growing up.

The therapist said that it is clear that I will change directions, but being in survival mode has prevented me from revealing what the next directions will be, both mentally, romantically and spiritually.  Being in survival mode has made me confused and enabled me to lose sight of what I want out of life and what it is like to listen to my heart.

Her only suggestion was to ground myself to release my lower chakra – that being the root chakra which represents our survival state.  Somewhat akin to Maslow’s Heir achy of Needs, the base of our needs pyramid relates to physical and emotional safety, be it food, shelter or health.  Once those needs are fulfilled, humans will begin to attain other forms for the fulfillment of their social and self – actualization needs.

Prior to falling sick and moving into auto-pilot I was in a mode to achieve self – actualization. I wanted to thrive and achieve my purpose in this life. Somewhere down the line I got lost in the rat race of the ‘Street and resorted to fulfilling social and financial needs to keep up with the expectations of my peers.  In short, I fell down this pyramid.

I have two choices.  Continue to focus on surviving and getting better in full isolation of the direction of my life.  Or, I could fight to survive but in a manner that keeps me aware of the direction I am going.  This is clearly the harder route as it requires me to expend more of my time, energy and focus to direct the influence that uncontrollable forces can have my life – on my own terms.

Maybe I do need to start climbing up this pyramid once more. Maybe I need to do more than survive.  Perhaps I need to thrive.

Sugar-less

Studies have shown that it takes 66 days to break a bad habit.  For me, it took a change in my outlook and the prospect of never getting better to get over my unquenchable cravings for sugar.

For many individuals battling lyme disease, it is not uncommon to be told to adopt a restrictive diet in order to reduce inflammation, yeast build up and improve alkaline levels.  For someone who once proclaimed herself to be a chocolate addict with an uncompromising sweet tooth, the thought of adopting a sugar-free, yeast-free, and gluten-free diet was daunting.

Yet I have been sugar-free for over 16 months and don’t miss it at all.  In fact, I find that I have more energy without sugar, and my complexion has dramatically cleared.

Don’t get me wrong- it is by no means an easy task to remove refined and added sugars from your diet.  Here are some tips that helped me wean myself off sugar:

• Read your labels.  You will be surprised how many food products contain sugar or modified sugar products (i.e. anything that ends with ‘ose’ such as fructose or modified corn syrup).
• Be cautious around condiments  Reaching for ketchup or thinking about ordering chicken wings?  Consider how condiments and sauces get their sweetness.
• Avoid sugar substitutes.  There are countless studies that caution against the consumption of sugar substitutes.  Let’s face it- they rarely come close to the real thing.
• Consider no sugar added frozen yogurt mixed with low glycemic fruits.  This can be a treat for those warm days.  There are also frozen fruit machines (Yonanas) that will blend frozen fruits into a whip comparable to frozen yogurt.
• Try packing apples, berries and cherries as mid day snacks.  They can give you the pick-me-up you need with just the right amount of sweetness.
• For those who need a hint of chocolate, try dipping low glycemic fruits in melted 100% Cocoa mass.  Cocoa mass is fairly bitter, but with fruit it can provide just enough sweetness to allow you to savour the cocoa aftertaste.

Other than being told that sugar will impede my treatment, be it through encouraging the buildup of yeast or causing a drug interaction, I began to look at food as a source of fuel, rather than an indulgence.  The best fuels are those that are pure and limit additives.  Refined sugar adds very little to our wellbeing in comparison to the time and effort our bodies have to expend in order to break it down.  In some ways, the moment of indulgence isn’t worth the trouble.

Do I miss being able to eat anything freely? Sometimes.  Would I trade my wellbeing for that luxury? Not at all.

Best of both worlds

Since my wedding I can’t say I dawned any couture.  After trying on a few of the newest designs from Lahore fashion week, I can’t help but marvel at how far bridal couture has advanced.  Lush hues and broader skirts have meshed the allure of Cinderella with an impeccable Maharani (South Asian princess).

Bad habits are hard to break …

Gave into temptation … new Chanel long flap wallet

In order to succeed we must first believe we can

Eyes wide open

Ever wake up one morning only to wonder where the year has gone? As the rain splatters across my bedroom window I am left wondering where have I gone this year, and more importantly, where I am going.  Sometimes it takes a jolt to wake us up from our auto-pilot.  As our lives are increasingly consumed with daily fires that demand our immediate attention, it is easy to lose sight of our goals and aspirations.

After a year of fighting for the right to live, I have been come to a point where I am merely surviving to live another day.

In some ways, this is an accomplishment in its own right.  But I have learned to live within a modified comfort zone.  Life, however, starts when we leave our comfort zone and dare to take a leap of faith and chase our dreams.

I don’t know what this looks like, where this will lead, and whether I will be able to accomplish it.  But now my eyes are wide open and I can’t help but notice the need to start living.

Note to self: Lessons from 2014

After a roller coaster of a year as a lyme warrior, I sat down to write a letter to myself in 2015 and beyond.  Here is an excerpt: 

2014 was a challenging year for you. It challenged you physically, emotionally, and spiritually. There were times that you didn’t think you would see tomorrow, and if you did, it would be a tomorrow filled with obstacles and heartbreak. There were times when it felt like everything that you had worked so hard for would slip through your fingers. There were times when you fought tooth and nail to move your finger, take a step and speak coherently. There were times when you wanted to give up. There were times when you thought you would never see the light of day. There were times when you thought tomorrow would never come.

There were also times when you stood on your own, took your own steps, and began to dance again. There were times when you smiled at even the smallest of things. There were times when you were determined to prove everyone wrong, do what you didn’t think was possible, and fight for the right to live.

In 2014 you learned the importance of health. Health is wealth. No amount of money can compensate for the feeling of the sun on your face, freedom to move carelessly and to wake up not knowing what opportunity lies behind the next door. In 2014 you learned how strong you are. In the darkest of times you didn’t give in to temptation to take the easy way out. You learned to forgive and trust in your heart that God will guide you on the your path. You learned how important it is to be patient, and how to remain optimistic even when everything around you is crumbling. In 2014 you learned to importance of faith in a better tomorrow. In 2014 you learned how powerful dreams can be, and even more powerful goals are in order to fulfill them. In 2014 you learned that you make your own happiness. No one or nothing will make you happy but you. In 2014 you learned to live for your happiness, however you define it. In 2014 you have learned that no matter what life throws at you, you will not only survive, but you will thrive. In 2014 you learned what it means to persevere.

As you sit and read this in 2015 and beyond, reflect on the lessons you have learned. You are stronger than you thought possible. You will never stop fighting. Live each day to the fullest, do what you never thought was possible, and take the helms and live your life in the way that makes you happy. It is ok to make mistakes, and to wear your heart on your sleeve. If it doesn’t work out, dust yourself off and keep running. Run in the direction that makes you happy, not in the direction that the world dictates for you. Take care of yourself. Don’t let the world make you compromise your health and wellbeing. You know better now. Trust God to guide you, ask for forgiveness and give you the strength to carry on. Make your decisions and stand up for them. Be self assured to admit when your wrong. Be ambitious enough to follow your dreams.

Till we speak again,

You

Spotlight Fashion

I have been asked how I have managed to stay out of the sunlight and still look fashionable in the course of my lyme disease treatment protocol.  Here’s a brief peak as to how I have been able to manoeuvre the sunlight:

Channelling the Roaring 20s

The 1920s was a time where the emergence of prosperity enabled women to break free of the corset and led to the dawn of the flapper dress.  To coordinate these outfits, women would wear long brimmed hats and long gloves.  In addition to adding an element of intrigue, these accessories also shield the face and arms from the sun. 

The Mysterious 50s

The 1950s embraced long jackets, hats and long gloves.  Fortunately jackets inspired from this time period are both light and heavy to accommodate the changing weather.  I found that pairing a fitted and long jacket with long gloves and a brimmed hat introduced an element of mystery that was fashionable.

Complementary Sunglasses 

One of the symptoms of lyme disease is light sensitivity.  While this symptom comes and goes, I have found that it is best to be prepared for those very bright days by keeping a pair of sunglasses with me at all times. Those sunglasses are complementary to my face shape and complexion.  Sunglasses can range from the Tiffany to aviator look.

The Coordinating Scarf

To pull these looks together, and have the flexibility to cover one’s face when it is hard to avoid direct sunlight, I have relied on a light weight scarf.  Fortunately these scarves are widely available, affordable, and come in a variety of patterns to match any outfit.

The Sun Umbrella

During those bright warm days when my close friends decide to spend time outside, I have invested in a small and cute ‘anime’ or sun umbrella that keeps the sun away from my face and neck when I am not prepared to use a scarf.  These umbrellas are generally $10 and can be found in any China town or bridal store.

Regardless of the look, my outlook has been simple: When life gives you lyme, infuse that tang into your life and run with it.