By Becca Ironside, PT
In February of this year, I moved from New Jersey to Florida. I was excited about this new chapter in my life, and received a farewell gift from the daughter of Michelle Dela Rosa. Elise is 9 years old (such a fabulous age of wonder and creativity) and she created a hobo bag with a long stick, a piece of yarn and ball of tissue paper dangling from it. I was tickled at how Elise imagined me striding towards my next adventure with a hobo bag over my shoulder. But deep down, I was quite scared about leaving everything and everyone that I loved in NJ. I was also well aware that such a big relocation would put my nervous system into overdrive and that my sympathetic nervous system would react and play a dominant role in the next few months. So, I decided to take action. I put a plan into place to help support my parasympathetic (calming) system during a time when I knew that it needed bolstering. There is significant research supporting ways to allow the parasympathetic system to have its voice during times of duress. I discovered some on my own, and needed to ask for help for the others. Here is what worked and what you can do to prepare when you know that hardship or major life changes are coming:
That is how, four months after moving, I came to coax my body back into a state of calm. I didn’t have to be a slave to a racing heartbeat, shallow breathing, and worrisome thoughts. It is important to remember that when the next big change is coming your way, you can try exercise, breathing, time in nature, believing in something bigger than yourself and viewing life as a child does. And don’t forget to ask for help! Tell others that you need them, until you are ready to pick up your hobo bag and walk bravely towards your new adventure. Becca Ironside, PT continues to work at Connect PT from sunny Florida. She does Wellness Visits, where you can have an appointment online and ask questions about how your pelvic health is related to your other bodily systems. You can discuss how various pieces of your medical history gleaned from other medical practitioners can be peeled back for a comprehensive look at what might be driving pelvic floor issues, including bladder, bowel and sexual concerns. Becca also writes articles for Health Union, an online organization which supports those with chronic health conditions like multiple sclerosis, prostate cancer and endometriosis. She has been nominated for an award for Revolutionary Research by this company for her ability to take scientific studies and make them easy to digest with humor, compassion and simplicity.
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