A year ago this week our world shrunk. Businesses started to close, travel bans were put into effect, and the spread of COVID-19 became a real threat. Let’s take a second to reflect on where we are one year later.
We are all familiar with Zoom and team meetings and any other virtual platform that has allowed us to safely connect with friends and family. Mask wearing is required and normal; so much so it’s weird to see someone out in public without a mask. Every holiday and birthday in the last year has basically sucked- let’s be real. Businesses have had to transform and pivot in new ways- some have succeeded (and even thrived) and some have not fared as well.
And let there be light! A vaccine (actually several vaccines) are being distributed to select groups promising a return to normalcy (or an approximation of normalcy) that we are grasping for with both hands as if our very lives depended on it (oh right, they kind of do).
So now what?
Some of us have been fully vaccinated. Myles and I joined the ranks of the fully vaxed this weekend. We heard this second vaccination can come at a cost- being very ill, tired, lethargic, feverish, etc for 24-48 hours. We did not accept this as our reality. We set our mindset toward health and perseverance and guess what……. we are fine! We have a bit of fatigue but that’s it. We have heard horror stories of young people being super sick, or older people being more likely to be ill, but we just said to one another, “we don’t have time or space for this to be our reality. We have two kids who depend on us and we will be fine.“
If you are familiar with our family you must know that we are accustomed to fatigue and stress so perhaps our bodies were more resilient to this type of stress. That is a complete possibility. But we also tried to learn from others and took their advice. We drank TONS of water before and after the shot. We exercised before and after the shot. We didn’t laze around- we stayed active and busy and just didn’t stop.
We have heard all the theories from “if you get really sick it means you have a strong immune system,” to “If you have a reaction you have had COVID, if you don’t you haven’t had it” and my favorite one “if you react poorly to the vaccine it is an indicator of how you would have been impacted by the actual virus.” Maybe it all just boils down to our individual immune systems and how they react to the insult of the vaccine.
Perhaps we are just the “lucky ones” who don’t get sick. But given how much Myles and I believe in mindset and how it can affect your physicality we would like to think we had some control over our “lack or reaction.” So if you haven’t had your shot yet can I humbly offer you this advice?
#1. Set your mindset and prepare to feel well. Your arm will be sore but you will be fine and it’s for the greater good and 100% worth whatever reaction you end up having.
#2. Drink TONS of water before and after your shot. We aren’t talking an extra glass or two, but like the “I’m peeing every hour on the hour” kind of hydration.
#3 MOVE!!!! Exercise before, exercise after (or at least walk-a lot) just don’t be idle. Keep yourself busy and distracted.
#4 If you feel really ill- rest. We know this won’t work for everyone but we hope we can influence you to at least try. The worst thing you can do is go into your second shot thinking you will be ill; It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. BUT… if you really don’t feel good, rest and recover. Listen to your body.
We are wishing everyone health and wellbeing in the coming months. Take care of yourself, but more importantly take care of each other. The light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel is bright- keep driving forward friends!
