Episode 63: Thriving! Not Just Surviving- with Health Coach Betsy Holzapfel

The word “unprecedented” has been used constantly over the last several weeks to describe the virus that has affected the entire world, and the steps that are being taken in an attempt to control it. Unprecedented means “never happened, known or existed previously”.

There is no past experience to help us figure out how to navigate this crisis. The interview I have for you this week fits right into this topic, although I scheduled it long before the Corona Virus became an issue. My lifelong friend Betsy has had some unprecedented problems come up since the beginning of the year. A plumbing disaster requiring moving out of her home for several months paired with major surgery with prolonged recovery, has plunged her and her family of 5 into completely unknown territory. Rather than barely getting through each day she has managed to keep her family moving ahead relatively smoothly. The insight she has developed and the tips she has for anyone going through a crisis can be extremely helpful during this time of global uncertainty.

Betsy is a nutrition coach, seeing private clients in a biweekly, 6-month long weight loss program. She is also a private chef who cooks for other families. Those activities have been put on hold for the time being. Usually she is a type A, organized person, prepped for anything and everything. That was before 2020 rolled in with a vengeance. She has realized that she has had to let go of some of the control she is used to and rely on help from others but there are things she can control.

Here are some of her tips for managing totally new, “unprecedented” situations: These were discussed when she was only dealing with her own family’s personal issues. She now has the added stress of being right in the middle of the worldwide crisis along with the rest of us. But the insight she gathered is just as helpful to all of us who have had our world upended.

Plan, Prioritize and Pair

Plan:

No one can plan specifically when situations are fluid and changing hourly. But you can maintain other planning such as meals and workout times. They may not be your usual but just planning with what is available or doable at the time gets it taken care of.

Prioritize: Decide what the most import things are that need to happen. When planning your day make sure that those things are fit in.

Pairing: When there are several things that need to be done pair them to achieve both at the same time. When supervising children, plan your meals or get them to exercise with you.

Betsy could choose to be super stressed but by keeping up with her routines she can deal with stress or if everything gets totally out of control she destresses with things like exercise to halt the downward spiral that can occur if you throw up your hands and give in to it.

Everyone still needs normal routine, foods, activities and exercise, even if that normal looks a little different. We don’t rise to the level of our goals we fall to the level of our systems. So get your systems in place and we will ride this wave of uncertainty and come out stronger, wiser and ready to make ourselves and our world a better place.

Resources:

www.healthaccountabilitycoach.com

www.facebook.com/houselifestyles