After 12 years at my previous hospital, I transitioned into a new job at a new hospital. If you have been reading my posts for a while, you know this. The transition was interesting. Even though I was thrilled to start my new job and make this good change in my life, I was surprised to find that I went through all the stages of grief when I lost my old job, including denial, bargaining, anger, and acceptance. I’ve struggled to really grasp the big picture of this major life shift in many ways. I was certainly ready to go…but was I ready to go? It’s hard to let go and make a change when you’re used to something, even if it doesn’t meet your most important needs or serve your highest self. While I struggle to comprehend the significance of this, I am aware that my previous employer experienced challenging times for a number of years, particularly in the third of my tenure there. Challenging. Toxic? I haven’t wanted to reflect on that, and yet, in some ways I think it is necessary in order for me to move forward fully.
I had a glorious two weeks off during the transition when I had a chance to really do this. plus more. Oh, so much more! In point of fact, during those two weeks, I did a lot of things I hadn’t done in years, like eat lunch with friends and, wait for it, exercise in the middle of the day! I also cleaned out my closets and started writing a new book. As the days went on, something intangible started happening. For the first time in a very, very long time, I felt different—lighter and more grounded. Surprisingly, I also felt energized. I was able to breathe easier. I no longer had a jumble of thoughts that were going in every direction, and I was able to think clearly. My perspective on what I went through and my role in it all began to shift. Instead of feeling like a victim, I felt empowered. I felt better overall and more in control. I started smiling, and as one of my friends put it, “Hey! You have your sexuality back. You could say that it was because I had left a less-than-ideal employment situation and had stopped working, and that’s probably true. However, I’ll tell you what I believe was the most important factor: exercise. Continue reading now! I’m not going to start lecturing about exercise like I usually do (well, maybe just a little). My honest, sincere, and personal account of how exercise can do so much more than just improve your heart health is what I want to share with you. Exercise also makes your emotional life, soul, and very being healthier. It is, in my opinion, the most potent, multifaceted, and comprehensive health action you can take to enhance every facet of your life. Just saying…
But if exercise does all of this, why do doctors mostly talk about the markers of heart rate, blood pressure, and functional capacity when discussing exercise? Why do we talk about VO2 max (which tells us how much exercise/work we can do, and has been shown to be an essential vital sign as a marker of vitality and longevity) but don’t mention the effect of exercise on mood, mental clarity, strength of purpose, and general life improvement? Perhaps because these other measures cannot be measured in the same way that blood pressure and heart rate can. How is the “level of je ne sais quois” quantified? I encourage all readers, including doctors, to consider that it is acceptable to discuss health measures that are not quantifiable but that significantly enhance our lives at this transitional time in my life, when exercise has done so much for me. While many women (and increasingly, many men) often turn to dermatology for that look of eternal youth via the latest technology (fillers, Botox, etc.), perhaps we should all be looking at a fountain of youth that is less external and more internally transformative—something that doesn’t just change how you look on the outside, but improves everything about you from the inside out.
I talk to women almost every day about their concerns, which typically revolve around overcoming hot flashes, quitting smoking, or losing weight. Guess what solves each and every one of those issues? Of course, exercise! I’ve always said that exercise is a great way to help you fit into jeans, curb your cravings for unhealthy food or bad habits like smoking and drinking too much alcohol, and lessen the signs of menopause. The true magical spirit of simply moving your body is something I have neglected to convey. There is nothing more exhilarating than feeling strong and fit, in addition to the endorphins—the happy hormones that keep you calm, stable, and happy. You can breathe more easily, move more easily, and feel good about yourself—confident and empowered. What else could be better?