The Next Step.
"I'm entering a new chapter.
Not because I have everything figured out,
but because I feel it's time.
There's a quiet, steady voice inside nudging me forward,
a voice I've learned to trust.
This isn't about starting over.
It's about continuing --
with more clarity, more peace, and a deeper sense of purpose.
It's the next step I'm being guided to take.
I may not know exactly where it's leading,
but I know I'm meant to be here.
And that is enough for now."
- CM
Five years ago, I stood at the edge of something I never anticipated — something I didn’t ask for, yet was suddenly compelled to live.
I was navigating the crushing weight of profound grief, mourning the unimaginable loss of one of my children, when my physical health began to deteriorate rapidly. What started as a sort of quiet exhaustion and unexplainable symptoms escalated into a life-threatening condition. I was losing weight at a frightening pace — around a pound to a pound and a half a day (without trying to lose any weight), and without an explanation. My body felt as though it was slipping away, and my spirit…well, it was preparing for the possibility of transitioning to the next realm. I even began making peace with the idea of being reunited with my son in the afterlife.
It was during this harrowing chapter of my life that I received an intervention that ultimately sustained my life. Furthermore, I was supposed to be on 4 medications — indefinitely, but that experience led me to make some changes which led to my not having to go that route. I began to look inward and ask myself the difficult questions. Questions like “What is the root cause of what was happening to my body? What was I feeding myself — physically? emotionally? spiritually? And more important what would it mean to truly listen to my body, mind, heart and soul to find the answers?
I made a vow to honor the vessel that I was given. I nourish my body with clean, whole foods, and choose to get the majority of my vitamins and minerals from those foods rather than relying on supplements, powders or pills. There is something more trustworthy to me about nutrients in their natural form — grown, not manufactured. I don’t subscribe to extreme diets because I believe that extremes are often more harmful than not. So, instead, I practice mindful eating — which is a return to how I used to eat as a child and young adult, before life became busier with juggling work, marriage and raising three children, going back to school to earn my degree and giving back to my communities by volunteering. Rediscovering this simple, intuitive way of nourishing myself has been quite refreshing. It is a beautiful, gentle and grounding reset of sorts.
Movement is also now a big part of my daily rhythm. Not as punishment or obligation, but as an act of love. Pure, unabashed, self-love. I continue to walk every day. I practice yoga, tending to my body, my breath and my inner stillness. Once a week, I strength train, practice Barre, and do aerobics to keep my cardiovascular system, muscles and bones strong, ( which is important for women my age). I hike, bike and play tennis as often as possible, and I have participated in a 5k every year for the past 7 years. But, my favorite thing to do from time to time is to dance freely, and joyfully around the house.
Those dancing moments are so sacred to me because they are an ode to the child that I lost. He and I had a love of dance in common, (him joining dance groups in his teen years, and me taking dance classes when I was younger — and missing it), and whenever I dance nowadays, I like to think that when I move to the the rhythm of joy down here on this earthly plane, it connects me to him up there in heaven and I want to believe that he sees me still dancing, (sometimes doing the moves that he taught me, and other times doing the old moves that I used to teach him), and I hope that he knows that I haven’t forgotten our steps together.
Another way that I have dedicated myself to improving my health and wellness is that I have also simplified my skincare by letting go of harsh prescription products like Retin-A and choosing natural, plant conscious ingredients instead. I’m trying my best to be intentional about everything that I put in and on my body, because I know that true wellness and well-being is a full-circle experience. It is physical. It is mental. It is spiritual. It is holistic.
Outside of my body, I care for my mind, heart and soul by meditating daily. This is the part of yoga that keeps me rooted through the uncertainties of life — in addition to the certainties. I have woven together a daily regimen of asana practice, meditation, pranayama and ayurvedic inspired routines that helps to keep my entire being sustained. It is a way of living that I can adhere to for the remainder of my life, no matter what I may be faced with. It has definitely already helped me survive the unimaginable –and thrive in the aftermath.
This journey has not been perfect or without struggle, but it has been a daily choice. Intention is very much at the heart of my experience. A soft persistence, and a sacred resistance of everything that tried to break me. Yes, my loss broke me, but I have also been rebuilt. Rebuilt with the raw materials of courage, strength, hope, memory, spirituality, and an unshakable will to move forward with a life that still holds beauty. That grief, I still make space for because it was such a wonderful guide that taught me how to live differently and with more reverence. I just don’t grasp it as tightly as I once did.
I now wake with even more gratitude for the little things. Move with more joy. Live and eat with more intention. Simple moments of sunlight coming through my window at just the right angle as I sip my tea, the sound of laughter in my home, and birdsong in my backyard while I water my garden are some of the most simple, but special moments that I truly adore.
Today, my body tells a different story than it did 5 years ago. My weight is balanced, my vitals are good, and at my last appointment my medical team smiled and said, ” Keep doing what you’re doing.” (They didn’t have to tell me twice). I’m not trying to be perfect, because perfection is an illusion. I’m just trying to take care of this gift that Source (God) gave me – and right now, I feel good, I feel strong, I feel centered. I feel more like myself again, and I think that’s important when Source has already let me know that I still have work to do here– at least for a little while longer.
Thanks for reading.
Until the next time.
Take care and be well,
— Carol
The Why
I ran into an old friend of mine a few days ago. I hadn’t seen her in years, and we hugged each other in excitement. We began catching up with each other by sharing stories about the last time that we saw each other, and we also discussed a few other topics. Then she asked me what I’ve been up to lately. The first thing that came to mind for me was how I have been relentlessly taking care of myself over the past few years. So, my immediate response was “Oh, I’ve just been taking care of myself… you know…healing and trying to be as healthy as I possibly can,” (In my highest and best “Hey girl, How are you?” voice). I might have lied just a tiny bit. I didn’t tell the whole truth, because we were in a store shopping and I just didn’t feel comfortable holding her “hostage”, so to speak, to tell her all about my journey. Maybe she’ll read this one day, but perhaps not – either is okay. I am also a very private person, so my telling this story even now isn’t easy for me, but I’m hoping that it might be able to help someone else. The truth is, I am absolutely enamored with taking care of myself!
In November 2020, I became ill suddenly. I mysteriously dropped 30 lbs. in one month, at what equated to losing 1 to 1 and 1/2 lbs. per day. I cannot even begin to put into words how frightening this was for me (and my family).
I could barely walk, and I could not drive. I was hospitalized and still found myself visiting the emergency room many times thereafter. Each time, I was undergoing major testing and then being sent home with my physicians being baffled at what was going on with me. I say baffled because I had three specialists in three different specialties, in addition to my regular physician, all of whom were unable to identify a specific cause for what I was experiencing health wise. They were also unable to pinpoint why I was having an adverse reaction to the medication that they prescribed me. It was bad. It was so bad that none of the specialists or my physician believed what I was telling them about what I was experiencing. I suppose perhaps that my experience was so unusual that maybe they thought that I was not telling the truth. I don’t know. Still, I don’t want to say that I was being gaslit, but that is what was, in all actuality, what seemed to be occurring. This is going to sound ridiculously crazy, but I even received phone calls from hospital personnel who I had never been introduced to in person, who were desperately trying to convince me to “just take the medicine” despite the fact that it was causing me to have a serious adverse reaction.
I could not believe what was happening. Neither could my spouse as he listened to these calls with me while they were on speakerphone. This was a very frustrating time for me, especially having been raised by a mother who worked in medicine in a professional capacity all of her adult life, and taught me a lot about taking care of my health. I, myself, also once worked in the healthcare field for some time, so believe me when I say that I have nothing against healthcare or the medical field. The frustration that I felt led me to seriously consider what I would do if and when I got better. In fact, it became my sole motivation to get better. I knew, however, that once I healed, God willing, I was going to have to make changes in my life; mainly because I did not want to ever have to experience what I was experiencing at that time – ever again.
Fast forward to February 2021. I began trying to walk as a way for me to take the initiative in my own health and well-being. I needed to get back into life, off the couch and out of the bed. I wasn’t my usual self. Every day was just a day in which I wondered if I would make it to the next one. I was just trying to focus on healing in private.
I stopped taking prescription medication, (because it made me feel worse than when I wasn’t taking it), changed physicians, and began seeing a holistic health practitioner and a holistic nutritionist on the side. It was a bit pricey, but that would end up being one of the best decisions and investments that I have ever made for myself, and in myself.
During that time I learned quite a bit about nutrition, herbs and spices, vitamins, minerals and I even learned ways to heal and care for my vagus nerve, sympathetic nervous system and parasympathetic nervous system. I was also already enrolled in yoga teacher training, but had to postpone my certification final because of my health at that time. Since I could barely walk, that also meant that I could not practice yoga asana either. Heck, there were moments that I could barely stand. Yet, there were aspects of yoga that I kept up with because they were the only things that I could do, (with regard to yoga), that helped me a great deal. Those things are meditation, mudras, chakra sound healing, ayurveda and pranayama. I credit my general knowledge of those aspects of yoga with being a formidable part of my wellness journey.
Please note that I am not advising anyone to utilize any of these same methods to help heal themselves because I am not a physician, nor am I providing medical advice. I am just sharing what worked for me, and my personal story of healing because it is relative to my personal journey of why I started walking 10,000 steps a day. As a caveat, I would advise anyone who might be considering trying anything that I mention in this post to please consult with your physician before doing so.
Moreover, please note that there are many additional points and details about my condition, and the situation that I experienced that I have decided to leave out of this post, and not share here for reasons related to privacy. This is something that you should also take into consideration before trying anything in this post without consulting your physician.
Baby Steps
As wonderful as all of these healing modalities were for me, they are not in alignment with the topic of this blog post. What I really want to place my focus on, and share with you is the subject of walking. More specifically – my dedication to walking 10,000 steps a day as a daily routine, and how you can start a similar walking regimen like this of your own.
Walking is so underrated. It is an exercise that is low-impact, but good for your heart and circulation. It is a weight-bearing exercise that is also as good for your lungs, as it is for your heart. It can help to lower your blood pressure and high cholesterol levels, improve your balance and coordination, strengthen bones and muscles, reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and high stress levels, help you lose weight and improve overall energy.
When I started my commitment to walking, I made a promise to myself to just walk at least 500 steps a day. It was hard for me at first because walking was very difficult for me to maintain without having my health condition flare up. However, I figured that I had nothing to lose, and everything to gain if I just pushed through it and began by taking baby steps.
Those 500 steps were some of the slowest steps that I have ever taken in my life, but lucky for me – I had nothing but time. It didn’t matter that my steps were slow. The only thing that mattered was that I was trying, and not sitting on my behind doing nothing but wasting away. I was determined to get back to my old self, or something even better.
After successfully achieving those 500 steps for a while, it would be two weeks later that I would begin my move to walking 1,000 steps a day. My steps continued to steadily increase each month – slowly, but surely. By March 2021 my average steps per day were up to 2,300, and by the end of summer that year I was walking 4,200 steps a day.
Today my steps per day average anywhere between 10,000 and 13,000 steps, depending upon how much time I am able to dedicate to my daily steps due to work or other tasks.
How You Can Implement A Similar Walking Practice Into Your Daily Schedule
Walking 10,000 steps a day can be quite challenging to achieve. Especially if you lead a busy life, or have a lot of other responsibilities. Making 10,000 steps a day a priority in your daily schedule takes a great deal of motivation and dedication – even a little bit of encouragement on some days – but I promise you that if you prioritize walking 10,000 steps a day, and put it in your calendar or to-do list, or better yet just make it a daily habit that you do before you start your day, after you eat dinner, or any other time that works with your schedule, and do it every day; you will find that it won’t be very long before it becomes a habit.
Try committing to it for 21 – 30 days to start. Then just keep it up. Personally, I am so used to getting my 10,000 steps in daily now because I started by making it a part of my daily morning routine right after brushing my teeth, washing my face, showering, getting dressed for the day, practicing yoga and eating breakfast. I have been doing this so long that it actually feels strange whenever I don’t start my day in this order.
You might be wondering if it is okay to take a day off from walking. My answer to that is a resounding, “Yes!” Breaks are very important if you are to sustain your 10,000 steps a day as a daily practice. It may also be good for your body to take a day off from walking. However, I have to admit that when first I started walking, I didn’t take any days off – but it was a lot easier for me to do that at that time since my daily step average back then hadn’t yet quite reached 10,000.
Nowadays, my body will let me know that walking 10,000 steps for 7 days straight deserves at least one day off, and my knees, calves, thighs and back usually appreciate it when I do take a break. However, there aren’t very many weeks in which I actually take a day off if I can help it. I will sometimes do somewhere between 1,500 – 5,000 steps in lieu of doing zero steps on my off days, unless I feel as though my body and mind really need the full break.
Another question that I often get asked is, “What do you do on days in which there is inclement weather?” Well, my response to that question is that I walk indoors. So, there is no excuse for me not to get my steps in. In instances when I am not able to walk outdoors, I will walk the whole perimeter of my home indoors, (Yes, you read that correctly, I will walk the whole perimeter of my home). This could also be done on a treadmill if you have one. Unfortunately for me, I gave mine to Good Will a couple of years ago, but as you can see, that hasn’t stopped me from my personal commitment to completing my daily steps. I really meant it when I said that I am enamored with taking care of myself.
It used to take me 5 hours or more to complete 10,000 steps a day. Now it takes me about 2 – 3 hours if I walk non-stop, but sometimes when I am pressed for time, and have work to do, I will break my walk into sections where I will complete the first 5,000 steps early in the day, and then finish the final 5,000 steps or more later the same day at a time when it’s more convenient for me. I just make sure to complete those final 5,000 steps before 11:59 pm. You can also try breaking the steps up into 3 parts or 4 parts even. I have found that breaking the steps down into more manageable step amounts can be really helpful in remaining dedicated to getting 10,000 steps in a day. If this is something that interests you then I highly recommend that you give it a try – after consulting your physician.
In Closing
So, as you can see making a commitment to walk 10,000 steps a day can be easy. All it takes is a little serious interest in wanting to complete 10,000 steps a day, and maybe, (as in my case), a great big wake-up call.
I am not saying that walking 10,000 steps a day cured me. What I can say for sure, however, is that it didn’t hurt me in any way and contributed to my feeling healthier than I have in decades.
Lastly, if you have any other tips for getting 10,000 steps in a day, or if you are starting your own 10,000 steps a day practice, I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to comment in the comments section or message me from the contact page.
Thank you for reading.
Until the next time…
Take care and be well.
Carol
A ring of the doorbell in the middle of a warm summer’s night. A couple of songs playing on the radio, one after the other, on the way to the emergency room that now every time I hear again will forever take me back to that moment in time when I was hoping that all that I was experiencing was just a crazy bad dream. An unanswered prayer that I now have a greater understanding of and immense gratitude for. A dark night of the soul and a healing journey that led me back to my yoga practice after a long hiatus. A spiritual awakening. A promise kept and a divinely guided idea that I felt compelled to share. All – the birthing of Salubrity and Soul, the blog, and now Salubrity and Soul Yoga – coming soon.
Today I re-welcome you to Salubrity and Soul, the blog. Formerly a grief blog, but now a space where I sometimes share tidbits of my healing journey, perspectives on life, spirituality, gratitude, my love of nature, but mostly all things yoga, meditation, wellness and wellbeing related.
Salubrity and Soul celebrates the whole self – mind, body, heart, and soul and thriving within a wellness of being – mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually.
Whether you are a veteran Salubrity and Soul reader or are new to this space I thank you for stopping by, and I appreciate you taking time out of your day to read my posts. My hope is that you find the content here helpful and as always I look forward to connecting, learning and sharing with you.
Also, before I end this post I would like to remind you that you can connect with me on Instagram at @salubrityandsoulyoga, and soon you will be able to also connect with me on Spotify on the Salubrity and Soul Yoga podcast where you can listen to content from this blog as well as find meditations, short yoga sessions, weekly affirmations and more while on the go or whenever you’re just short on time and don’t have time to read the blog. Thank you for reading.
Until the next time…
I’m sending you light, I’m sending you love
and as always
Take care and be well,
– Carol
Life is generally good, right? I think that most people would agree that life, even with it’s disappointments, is okay. In fact, more often than not, it can be pretty amazing.
Today might be filled with happiness, joy and excitement; while tomorrow “could” bring sadness or pain – and that’s okay. It’s okay because living isn’t about having everything work out for the best all of the time, as much as it’s about being able to make it through the rough times; and to do so with a healthy mind frame and not allowing our disappointments to define us.
We expect too much sometimes, I think. We also tend to become complacent in our ability to not let our egos get the best of us. It’s easy to believe that things will always be the way that they are – especially when things are going great. Of course, this may not be true for everyone.
Well, 2020 should have taught us a thing or two. It should have reminded us of our lack of control. The control that we tend to thing that we have, when truthfully any semblance of control that we thing we have is actually quite minor.
We should always be open to “other” possibilities. Why? Because that is what helps us transition better when thing do not go our way. At any time, even the healthiest person can suddenly become chronically ill. Or, that well-to-do friend of yours that you thought was so blessed and fortunate can suddenly lose everything. Or that job that you thought that you would retire with could suddenly go out of business.
When disappointments happen they can leave us feeling sad, angry or regretful that we couldn’t have done more to prevent whatever happened from happening. The key though is not to ruminate over disappointments when they occur. As difficult as that might be – just don’t do it. Please don’t do it, unless you’re looking for more disappointment.
We have to be willing to accept the life that we have been given, regardless of whether or not we approve of the outcome. You have to just keep moving forward.
Now, there may be disappointing situations that call for you to contest or dispute, because there are many things in life that we must fight for – but I am not talking about those type of disappointments. I am talking about the ones that we absolutely cannot control.
When life throws a little disappointment your way you don’t have to forget what happened, (you need to remember as that will be connected to your personal growth), but you do have to learn to accept life’s disappointments.
Once you learn to that, then you can conquer anything. When faced with something disappointing I like to remember the phrase “God doesn’t give us anything that we cannot handle.” It always helps me to keep things in perspective. So, if you’re experiencing something less than favorable and you feel that the sky has fallen – try remembering that phrase and see how that works for you. Also, stay strong, keep the faith and know in your heart and soul that all will be well in the end. All you have to do is learn to accept whatever is making you feel that way or, if you are able to change the situation – change it. All else is madness and who wants that?
Thank you for reading.
Until the next post.
Take care and be well.
Spring will arrive in less than 30 days. There is a special balance that occurs with regard to lightness and darkness during this time of the year. The time of year that we know as the spring equinox.
As we begin to gain more daylight, we still have periods of dark which can serve as a reminder that a time of growth and beauty is upon us; and that we can move forward from a period of stillness. It’s a time when the period of grounding that we endured during the winter comes to an end, and we begin leaning toward the sun and celebrating the newness and hopefulness of the spring season.
Thank you for reading.
Until the next post.
Take care and be well.
Blessings.
– Carol
Happy 2021! I hope you are well. My goodness! It has been a few months since my last post and I have missed Salubrity and Soul, all the tasks that come with blogging and… you! If I could have avoided my absence I surely would have done just that, please know that it was justifiable. Without over-sharing, let’s just say that I needed to take some time off to care for myself, spend time with my family and recuperate from the year that was 2020. Truthfully, my decision to take a break from Salubrity and Soul, (and other things as well), was highly influenced by my physician. I had to either eliminate or reduce anything that I was doing in my life that could induce stress or that contributed to a sedentary lifestyle. Unfortunately for me, blogging happened to be in that category. Now I am moving into the second quarter of this year cautiously, carefully, but fervently.
“A candle that has been blown out provides no light. Let selfcare be your fuel, and watch yourself glow brightly again once the flame has been re-lit.
– Salubrity + Soul
I must say, it feels good to be heading into the new year with a sense of calm, peacefulness, hope and healing.
I’ll close with a few words that reflect something that crossed my mind several times over during the last four months, which is that we always have a choice in the way that we decide to frame our personal narrative when faced with something unexpected. Moreover, we always have a choice when it comes to our view of how good or bad things really are; and whether or not we want to accept some responsibility in whatever it is that we’re experiencing.
We can grab the reigns of our life, hold on tight, and be the heroine, (or hero), but the choice is always only ours. In order to overcome anything, the decision to keep showing up over and over again is what is most important.
I want to remind anyone who may be experiencing a rough time and who may be feeling as though they need a break that it is okay to rest. It’s okay to go where you’ll find peace and the opportunity to restore your energy and health because that is exactly what you’ll need to remain in your power. Think balance. You don’t have to completely stop what you’re doing, because we should always be moving in ways that empower us in good ways, and that allow us to function and be the very best version of ourselves as much as possible – unabashedly. But, never forget to care for yourself. Nothing is more important than you. Nothing. Remember that.
Thanks for reading.
Until the next post.
Take care and be well.
Blessings.
– Carol
Hello everyone!
It’s been a while.
I am in an extremely good mood today. I’m in such a good mood that I felt compelled to make today the day that I would return to the blogosphere after yet another hiatus.
Today is light-filled. But, more than that it is joy-filled for many.
I didn’t expect to see what I observed this morning, which was exactly how much joy is being pushed and rebirthed into the universe until I walked into my family room this morning, turned on the television, and watched the news as people from all walks of life danced and sang in the streets all across America.
It didn’t take long for me to begin dancing and singing along with them with happy tears pouring from my eyes and down my cheeks. It was a beautiful sight to see. It was definitely one of the most wonderful feelings I’ve ever felt.
I am probably not the only person who may have felt the stagnation depart from the soul of the United States of America, ( extra special emphasis on the word “united”), because isn’t that the promise of our nation? Isn’t that what we love about it so much even though we have our left and right sides?
Unity is what results when sagacity, impartiality, and the sweetness of empathy are honored and practiced.
And here we have it. Unity wins. Goodness and love prevail. Hope is restored and those who have may have felt as though the sky was falling can feel comfortable enough once again to just close their eyes, take a long deep breath inward, exhale the past and allow their hearts to become lighter again.
Let’s sit with with this feeling for just a moment,
and be grateful for this precious day,
smile,
and let the healing begin.
With love and light,
Until the next post,
Take care.
I’m excited this month because September is the anniversary month of my yoga journey. I am also excited because it is also National Yoga Awareness Month. National Yoga Awareness Month is an annual campaign that was created in 2008, by the Department of Health and Human Services that was designed to acknowledge and share the many health benefits of yoga.
During the month of September, there are often an abundance of offerings involving yoga related activities that can be found. As a result, it is a good time to find discounts and promotions on yoga classes, equipment, supplies, clothing, and the like.
Some of my favorite ways to celebrate National Yoga Awareness Month include:
For anyone looking to begin a healthier lifestyle that includes implementing a yoga practice, this is a great month to begin.
I hope that one or more of the ideas that I have presented help inspire you to try yoga, if you have never done so.
Or, perhaps assist you in finding ways to strengthen your yoga practice. Namaste.
Thank you for reading.
Until the next post…
Take Care.
As we have all been affected in one way or another by the coronavirus, (COVID-19), as it is known as a novel disease; and as a virus by the name SARS-CoV-2 I just wanted to take a moment to check in on you and say that I hope that you are doing well. I hope that your loved ones, too, are doing well. If it happens that you are not doing well or someone that you know is not, or has not fared well as a result of of this pandemic my heart goes out to you and please know that even though you may not know it, there are people who are thinking of you and praying for you every day. I am one of those people. What we are experiencing right now is heavy to bear, but it is something that we will overcome.
I would like to remind you of the importance of being present – especially when life may seem to be unraveling at the seams. Let me share with you a quote by R. Wayne Willis, author of Hope Notes which says, “To grow some hope, take a hope-full step. That first step is the most difficult.” There are times in our lives when cultivating hope can be a hard thing do, but in reality we should never really expect it to be something that will happen overnight. Some things need time. So take it day by day if you need to. Keep the faith and know that we will all get through this together.
If there is anything even the slightest bit positive about what we are now forced to endure, it the opportunity to come together as one as we work through our concerns, fears, losses and patiently await resolve.
As always, thank you for reading.
Until the next post…
Please take care.
Salubrity and Soul 