2020 Taught Us to Expect the Unexpected
By: Meg Haynes
Tags: Life Lessons, Health, Reading, Productivity, Self

Back Story.

For better or worse, I have always been someone who seeks to improve, as some would say. Others may call it perfectionism.

As a child, this materialized in school and sports. Despite my A marking, I would be the student raising her hand over my one missed question. During soccer games, my mind would churn nonstop, as I tried to force my two left feet to follow the suggested tricks and appropriate positioning. Though my mind struggled to be gracious about my lack of perfections, my efforts frequently found praise and awards from the adults in my life, encouraging me to continue my obsessive behavior.

Once I finished my junior year of high school, though, the rate of return for those efforts decreased. This only made me work harder. Soon, my need to be the best had become all-consuming, threatening my mental health.

Now in my late twenties, I have not stopped seeking growth and improvement. It’s part of who I am. I have learned, however, to be watchful of my anxiety levels. I dance around myself, attempting to improve my professional skills and athletic abilities without losing touch with my mental health. I frequently try out new habits as one does with clothes in a dressing room. Some I quickly put back on the shelf. Others become my favorite cardigan that wraps me up for countless seasons.

My Favorite Cardigan.

Unwilling to repeat the mental havoc of my junior year, I realized I needed things to change for my last year of high school. I started a habit that has become one of those beloved sweaters. At the beginning of the year, I committed to waking up an hour earlier. Instead of taking coffee and breakfast from my mom as I ran out of the door, I would brew my coffee and prepare my breakfast. I would then enjoy them at the kitchen table while I read the Bible in my pajamas.

I speculated that starting my morning off in a slower, consistent manner would help settle my otherwise chaotic disposition. I was right. There was something about starting the day on a calmer note that left me less anxious about my school work and sports teams and brought me more confidence and peace.

Since then, I have — of course — sought to improve my routine. I developed gastric issues during my second year of college. I woke up every morning with a disgruntled gut and little worked to ease the pain. Thinking I’d flush out whatever was ailing me, I started drinking a full glass of water before I consumed anything else in the morning.

While I’ll spare you the intimate details of my stomach issues, after nearly two years, I learned that I have a gluten intolerance. By the time I made this discovery, drinking water every morning had become a habit. Though my episodes are few and far between today, I cannot deny that drinking water first thing in the morning makes me feel better. Plus, it is so easy to do.

I also started eating a healthy breakfast when I went gluten-free. At the time, the world hadn’t yet figured out how to make gluten-free food with taste. So, my only options were natural ingredients. I noticed how much better I felt that I haven’t returned to cereals or waffles even as gluten-free options have become available (except on rare occasions).

And now I have expanded my morning library beyond the Bible. While I still appreciate the wisdom and peace that I gain from reading Scripture, I also appreciate the beauty and insight that I find in other books. Fiction, fantasy, nonfiction, Buddhist teachings, you name it. We can learn and grow when we spend time outside our small mind and unintentionally biased perspective.