Releasing Stress

These past two months have been so stressful and yet so educational at the same time.  It all began when I found out that my landlord was being foreclosed on, and I would have to move.  Moving out in ten days is not easy and I could not have done it without the help of some friends and clients.  Thank God for the help.  I had begun the process of trying to buy my first home, a place I could stay.  There comes a time in one's life when it is no longer fun to have instability, and I was ready to settle down for a few years in the same home, I love Southern Cali.  After months of looking and filling out paperwork, dealing with an unmotivated banker and the uncertainty of weather I could qualify, I found out I had to wait until a future time to get more things in order before I could buy.  I had chosen to live on friends couches while this was going on, still working full time, with all my belongings scattered between a storage unit and two homes.  Often I found myself thinking, "I teach stress reduction, I can do this".  Then I got sick.  It was what I thought was the worst flu I ever got.  Traditionally I heal myself, but this was only getting worse, so upon visiting the Dr. I found out I was one week away from having Pneumonia.  Medication, teaching yoga, personal training, sleeping on couches...wow.  Since I could not qualify at this time to buy my home, I needed to find a new place to rent.  I have never been a fan of the apartment complexes, so needed to look for another private owned condo.  Meanwhile I considered the roommate idea, after seeing several rooms for rent in others homes, I realized that at 20, a room for rent is a good idea, at 41; it is not going to work.  At my wits end, I got a call from a friend and client informing me that the unit next to hers was going for rent and we could talk to the owner form me.  Now I have two weeks to move in, my friend is coming to visit from N.Y. for four days, I am working full time and trying to get ready for my trip to Yoga school in Florida, and I have a fall out with a friend of mine, a disagreement.  This is the friend that was going to help me move and drive me to the airport.  Then it happened again, sickness.  This one was worse than anything I ever experienced.  I went from a little tickle in my throat, to four hours later a full blown sinus infection.  Luckily I was going to the Dr. the next day for a pain I had in my right heel since running my last Marathon in Jan.  I left with an anti biotic prescription and a possible fractured foot.  Now I have one week to move myself in, find a new ride to the airport, try to repair my friendship, get foot x-rays, and am in pain from my sinuses to my toes, teach yoga, train people, and entertain a friend.  My mantra becomes 'breath....breath....breath, let go'.

I am now on the plane to Florida.  My visit with my friend from N.Y. was so much fun, I got all my belongings moved in before she got here ( still in boxes, but in one place), the fracture turned out to be treatable plantar tension, another friend drove me to the airport, and after antibiotics, and an acupuncture treatment, the sinus infection went away, and with a cortisone shot in my foot the pain has subsided,  I tried to patch up the fall out with my old friend and we finally spoke, (she wants to 'take a break') and I am on my way to Yoga School.

 Reflecting, the only think that kept me together, positive and calm were the techniques I have learned since studying stress management.  I often speak about these techniques to others in my attempts to be inspirational, I read about them, listen to my teachers teachings, but rarely do I get to practice them as fully as I did in these past two months.  Read about what I did to get through this little rough spot in my life on my blog at http://trainertroy.blogspot.com/ and comment, give me your suggestions and the techniques you use.