Tag: health

Hard Body Days

Leave a comment

Most don’t know, but I’ve been on a health journey. Well, I think I’ve been on some sort of health/weight loss journey my whole life. I’ve always had more fat on my body and as a woman, always been told to suck it in and eat less. As we all know, this is garbage, so my health journey has been about restoring my relationship with food and exercise to be something I enjoy and feel good doing rather than a form of punishment.

But some days are harder than others. Because I spent a lot of my childhood and early 20s trying to lose weight in unsafe ways, I sometimes tend to fall back on that mindset- the deadlines, the calorie cutting, the increase in cardio. I do all that because I look in the mirror and I don’t see progress. I don’t see change or something to be proud of in that moment.

And I have to remind myself that it’s okay. I do not have to be a constant work in progress. I can just exist. I don’t have to fix or adjust or maneuver my body to cater to others eyes despite all the things my brain keeps saying I have to do.

A great tip I picked up on restoring my relationship with my body is that body love sometimes isn’t possible. Sometimes you’ve hated your body and your outward appearance for so long that switching to love isn’t going to happen right away. For some, it may not happen at all, but working toward body neutrality? Now that’s something we can all work towards. Not hating. Not loving. Just finding a peaceful existence with your body.

It’s days like these where I take this tip to heart and find neutrality with my body. I find some clothes that I’m comfortable in and give it what it needs so it can fuel me. I don’t worry about what it looks like in the mirror or the way my body is shaped. I re-establish that neutrality towards my body because love is unattainable that day. And that’s okay. But I don’t hate my body. It’s gotten me through some pretty remarkable things and deserves some respect!

You’ve got this. Take care of you on those hard body days. I definitely am!

Until Next Time,

Dana

Sunday Musings From Bed

Leave a comment

I think it’s okay to be busy every once in a while. I used to (and still) struggle with having a loaded schedule because it felt like I wasn’t getting enough down time. But looking back, I don’t think it was because was the lack of down time. My days were filled with things I didn’t really want to do and that takes a toll on your mental health in ways you don’t see until the compound effect takes over.

See, when you’re in college, it’s not just classes and then home. You have homework and exams and other tasks to do. It’s expected you practice the things you’re trying to become an expert in (or a torture device-the perspective is yours to decide). And let’s be honest- all those extra tasks? They’re usually terrible and tedious.

However, there does come a point where that period of time ends and you get to decide what you’re filling your time with. I used to work in a job where it sucked all my brain power and I felt like I couldn’t do anything on the weekends. Going from constantly studying in school to constantly working at my job left me without a drop of energy to myself.

But that wasn’t really true, I just didn’t know what I wanted to be doing. I thought it was only rest and recovery. The first few weeks of doing nothing was great, but after a couple weekends? I needed more.

I have so much more time than I did before and so do you! You have a few more dollars in your pocket (hopefully) and a lot of extra free time. So why not fill it with what you’d like? Some weekends it could be that show you love to binge and others, it’s a concert and a great dinner! You have some space to choose now what flows back into your cup to bring you energy and new life.

I’m not saying be busy every second of every day. I think we’d all crash and burn if we did that. I mean taking a summer weekend and doing things the whole weekend with people you love. My partner and I went to a Brewer’s game yesterday and today I’m meeting up with my mom to see the latest Marvel movie! And it doesn’t stop there- I want to go get a lovely walk in and journal and enjoy the beautiful day we’re having on this Sunday.

I guess what I’m saying is that life is calling. Make it yours as much as you can. Work can soak up so much of our lives, but why not take that personal time and really own it? I am! I hope you do too and have a fantastic Sunday!

Until Next Time,

Dana

A Year in Review

1 Comment

My last post title is so funny looking back at it. I’m back? HAH.

I just check to see when I last posted and the time stamp says AUGUST 2017.

THAT’S A YEAR AND FOUR MONTHS SINCE MY LAST POST.

I’d apologize for not writing more, but the truth is, I’m not. I’ve been out living a little instead of writing. However, I am sorry if reading my blog was something you regularly enjoyed reading (hi mom).

Since it’s been such a long time, let me bring you up to speed on my life:

  1. I’m a super senior in college getting ready to graduate in May (No. I don’t have a plan yet. Please don’t ask.)
  2. I’ve stage-managed three productions, house managed for two, artistic directed a Fringe Festival, assistant directed for a main stage production and created my first lighting design.
  3. I have a billion things on my to do list before the end of the semester.
  4. Number three is a lie, but I still have a lot on my list.
  5. I took a spring break trip to Colorado it was life changing.
  6. I performed for the first time in two years this summer and it was my own writing.
  7. I’ve had five or six oncology appointments since the last time we’ve chatted and I am better than ever. My oncologist told me in my last appointment that it was like the cancer wasn’t there in the first place.
  8. I can put my hair into a half pony tail now!
  9.  I am working in the scene shop at my university and it is by far the best job I’ve ever had.
  10. I had to put down two of my doggos this past month, so I’ve been pretty sad. But they’re in a better place so it’s okay.
  11. I’ll be getting to work as a Props Artisan on a professional show in January.

And this is just a small version of what I’ve done in the last year and a half. There have been really big ups and downs across the board, but that’s just life. My time has been filled to the brim and since this blog is something I do for fun, there hasn’t been any time for it.

I didn’t realize how much time I had to myself to be creative when I was undergoing treatment. I had time to heal, write and be creative as I could in my waking hours. However, the real world doesn’t work like that. You don’t always get that kind of time to pause and reflect. Even now, I don’t have time. I have four projects and a show I should be working on, but I wanted to give myself a moment to pause and talk with you.

I’m okay with being busy. I’d rather not have time. When I was undergoing treatment, it was like my whole life was on pause and the only way to make it move forward was if I filled it with something because I was forced to stop doing all the things I loved. It was infuriating to say the least.

And because I wasn’t doing anything, I saw the world was still moving without me. It was hard to watch. I felt like I wasn’t needed.  I know I’m wanted, but I felt as though I wasn’t needed and that was one of the most difficult sensations to overcome. But my dad reminded me of something that his teacher once asked him:

What are all the things you want to accomplish in your time on this earth?

Of course I have a list for that: write a play, direct, love, explore, travel, do all the other things every blogger on this platform talks about.

But then my dad’s teacher asked another question:

What would this world be missing without you in it?

The cynic in me says nothing would be missing. The world would keep moving as it does and eventually someone else would come up with whatever I created or contributed to society.

But that’s not true. If I weren’t here, the world would be missing an optimist. A writer. A lover. A friend. A sister. An explorer. And everything I am to become. Look at what I’ve done in the last 22 years alone! Who knows what I can do next! Without me in the world, we would never know! That’s one “What If” I don’t want to live with.

So now my life has been un-paused and it feels like it’s fast forwarding to make up for lost time. And I have a lot left to do. Get ready!

I’m hoping to write a little more than before, but I can’t guarantee anything. If it’s been a while, just know that I’m out living to bring back stories for you!

Thank you for waiting for me to live a little.

 

Until Next Time,

Dana Qualy