Friday Musings—Champions

What's going on

I had a sudden realization this week. This past year, I finally started putting my body's safety and wellbeing above everything else. For most of my life, decisions around food, exercise, and relationships were a constant source of anxiety. Is this healthy (for my hormones, my gut, my overall inflammation levels...)? What will the other person's reaction be if (I say no, I ask for something, I express my opinion...)? How much do I need to exercise to (not lose muscle mass, burn off that meal, raise my HRV...), and so on.

But now it all boils down to knowing that my body loves and needs safety, predictability and peace. Regular meals, consistent sleep (still have lots of room for improvement there), practices that help me feel and process my emotions (such as yoga, somatic exercises, meditation) and speak up when necessary, and so on.

Do I like what I see in the mirror? Often, the answer is still "not really". However, I don't need to love my body (although that would be nice!) to finally treat it well. I know it's paid a huge price and I want to try to make up for it as much as I can now.

You may be thinking "duh, of course we want to nourish and cherish our precious vessels". But in a world of "SkinnyTok", obesogenic environments, and beauty choices being heavily influenced by filters and now AI-generated images, learning to trust and honor your body is less and less obvious.

What I'm watching

"Rafa" - Netflix's miniseries on tennis player Rafael Nadal. I know close to zero about tennis (and what little I do know is because I have a student who's a huge fan!), and felt it would be interesting to learn more about the sport and what leads one to become such a great athlete, all the while practicing my Spanish.

A few observations: a) I didn't know Nadal suffered from a degenerative foot condition, but I can relate to the mental toll of physical decline, albeit for very different reasons; b) the documentary shows just how important having a support system is. His father and uncle's unwavering support was crucial; c) some people just relish hard challenges and display incredible levels of grit, and I've always wondered how that comes about (genetics? environment?); d) you may think that being willing to sacrifice your health in order to keep going and keep winning isn't worth it, but I respect that he was clear about what he wanted and never gave up.

Article of the week

I really enjoyed this piece by The Guardian where five couples kept separate spending records before revealing their financial habits to each other, exposing hidden expenses like luxury watches, beauty treatments, and secret cigarette habits.

I finally started taking better care of my finances and learning basic financial literacy these past 3-4 years, and this has involved some discussions with my boyfriend, most of them a bit uncomfortable. Glad to see we're not the only ones feeling awkward about this topic!

Honestly, analyzing my habits and views on money has been very revealing, and it's something I firmly believe should be taught in schools.

Politeness aplenty

I've spent most of the past two months in France's Serre Chevalier Valley. I've been struck by how whenever someone sees me, I get a "bonjour" or "bonsoir", whether it's the kid playing in the park or the old lady watering flowers on her balcony. It's obviously a bit of a bubble (summer in the mountains, small villages, many people are here on vacation, etc.), and my experience in Paris or other major French cities wasn't the same! But even there, there was an emphasis on politeness (always say hello, please, and thank you, or you're dead to them) that I think is really important. I mean, it may not always be genuine, but it's a reminder that good manners and basic civilities do matter and help make society more agreeable, or at least tolerable.

Quote of the week 

"One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar."  (Helen Keller)

Hit reply or leave a comment to let me know how your summer is going, and to offer any feedback or suggestion. And pass this on to anyone who might enjoy it.

Until next time,

ML