In preparation for August’s 30DaysClean I weened myself off coffee in July. I’ve gone without coffee before and past experience told me I needed to stop early if I was going to pick up spin and strength classes 5 times a week on top of my yoga practice without falling off the bike, out of the TRX or asleep on my mat. I dropped down to one coffee a day, then one decaffeinated coffee a day and then it was over, zero tolerance.
But, as fate would have it, a week out from The Clean I found myself in hospital, the bones of my left sacroiliac joint severely inflamed, getting about with the help of a zimmer frame all the while receiving antibiotics intravenously.
I felt really sore, sore and sorry for myself; I was really looking forward to 30DaysClean, I was excited to challenge myself, to give my cardiovascular fitness a boost, I was excited for the atmosphere and I’ll be honest, to curb my chocolate addiction … I keep meaning to ask if raw chocolate counts? It’s so high in vitamins and minerals AND antioxidants! (I’ll save that one for Lolaberry) Because I felt sore and sorry for myself I thought “I can’t do it! I can’t exercise, I’m on crutches, I can barely walk, I can’t do The Clean”.
Then I calmed down and I rationalised … I’d come this far without coffee and I can’t drink alcohol while I’m taking antibiotics anyway so why not participate as much as I can?
OK, so I can’t spin or reverse my warrior, but throwing in the towel now would be the same as succeeding for 30 days and then giving it all away once September rolls around; nothing learned.
Once August is over perhaps you won’t make it to fives classes a week but that doesn’t mean victoriously throwing in the towel, ticking it off the bucket list and forgetting about it come September. Wellbeing isn’t an all or nothing game, well being is well rounded, it’s not purely happiness it’s resilience too. This month I might be on the sidelines physically but that doesn’t mean I’m outta the 30DaysClean game, and September doesn’t mean that you have to be either.
I can still eat well, pick up a book instead of my computer, drink herbal tea, get to bed early and meditate all without breaking a sweat. You don’t have to do 30 years clean & maybe you’ll toast to the end of August with a scoop of Messina, but come September, don’t give it all away at once, be kind to yourself, and do what you can.