Finding Motivation in the New Normal
These times feel wacky, with world events, a landscape in whiplash from covid19. I am feeling challenged by the new normal and defining what the "new normal" is for my asthma.
Limited exposure for my asthma
I have largely limited exposure to the outside world but it feels like time. I am concerned about the lifting of covid measures. Not only for my covid risk but also for my asthma. Life during the pandemic has largely seen me with stable, decent asthma. Limiting exposure to a wide variety of environments has certainly been one of the reasons. Less exposure, less risking a variety of things, exposure to allergens, etc. This has me struggling with how do I reintroduce a return to living some form of life in society?
Making decisions that are right for my asthma
Identifying hurdles and setting goals
My current hurdles are deciding if I can go to a movie theater at full capacity, and I desperately need to return to the pool. I miss my swims for all their good physical activity reasons, the positive effects on my mental health, and my community at the pool. Swimmers are my people.
I have been fortunate that a particular medication combination has been providing me with mostly stable asthma control, except for a few cough and mucus issues but, mostly decent. I feel like I can do the things I used to do but I am struggling with the motivation or confidence to do them. There is part of me that is nervous to try. I also wonder if I am nervous to be successful. This had me thinking about what my asthma goals are.
Pending some changes in medication regimens that may be happening for insurance reasons and not by choice, these could change my asthma control. There is part of me that would like to soak up all the good days and activities before any changes creep back.
Make a plan
When I get into a rut, I like to make a list of things to tackle. For example, lunchtime walks, pre-work workouts, and somewhat tortuous physiotherapy. The physiotherapy is a product of a number of previous rib fractures and associated rib issues related to coughing. These are ultimately not only goals but also things that I want to resume as part of my every day. It is getting them back into my every day that seems to be the struggle. I am trying to return to things that have worked in the past, for example, physio or a workout before work, or lunchtime walks. I am generally not the best afternoon person, so front-loading tends to work best.
What is best for me, and my asthma?
Finding joy in the little things such as a stretch of good breathing days, and worrying a bit less about the exacerbation that may or may not be around the corner. This includes resuming some social activities that I feel are safe for me with the precariousness of these strange covid times. A big question that I had was determining what my risk tolerance may be. I am still trying to determine this. I have looked, listened, read the science, and had a discussion with my care team. Figuring this out will require a bit of bravery and testing the waters.
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