Is Awe the Adaptogen?

24 hours after cutting my 44th birthday cake the other day, I had to excuse myself from our Sunday lunch I had lovingly prepared for Easter and check myself into my pajamas with a dose of my flu “potion”. A tried and tested concoction of supplements to rid anyone of a potential cold / flu in hours that has become well respected among friends and improved on as the viruses have mutated over the years.

Needless to say… I’ve been in bed a full 10 days and counting with an upper respiratory infection. So much so I had to cancel my “much anticipated” gold party after a sordid month of March. #dropsmic

So much for my potion?!

10 days!

In pajama’s?!

… and while I do feel I have finally turned the corner, I realise there is no hurrying this thing up. It’s on its own slow burn, even the doctor is delivering drops. So simmer down lass and sip on your cacao and your whooping cough sweet!

Yes - Whooping Cough… the 100 day cough from the 17th century. Don’t mind me convalescing while I remember Jane Austen and forget the vaccine I had in 1984.

Such is life I guess… it doesn’t matter how much there is to do… if you are not well, you simply can’t do it.

#dropseverything

So how do we really stop while we are ahead?

How do we stay WELL?

I often ponder this preventative.

Fascinated with our human condition, and our behaviour, how do we swallow our own intuitive advice and slow down or better yet stay on track when we are well. And at what point do some of us have an off day that our virus radar isn’t set to default notifying us of airborne contagions or holes in our boundaries.

I am all for my daily dose of balance, staying consistent to my auto-immune management, a run on the beach, dip in the cold sea, vitamin intake, diet, 20 mins of solitude, singing in the shower or just finding the presence of the moment.

I mean I have about 4 apps including one to remind me to drink water, for heavens sake, but eventually you become “immune” (there’s a word) to the very things reminding you to nourish yourself.

If only you could press 1 for greens, 3 for nootropics and here for champagne!

And bring back the silver bell for breakfast in bed please.

But I think there is more to it… over and above boundaries and discipline.

I think it’s finding and being in AWE!

I’m very good at achieving a goal if I’m in awe of it! Mountains in particular.

But the remedy during this 10-day-pajama-sesh’ has been in discovering that which repairs my body on a cellular level: wonder, design and cleverness. The inspiration derived from visually stimulating things tickles my brain and ideas flow. While I have been “pinning it” to my boards and watching Lupin, the rabbit holes of all things “gold” have not only passed the hours away but given me a recuperative means to remind myself of the space we hold within the universe. The very things that drive and inspire me, give me meaning and derive purpose are the very things I am in awe of. Real awe feels like a reverential respect for the world, for self, for others and there is beauty and power in that.

While drugs definitely take the edge off of pain, it’s creativity that has encouraged my healing.

Better yet - it’s encouraged me to prioritise what is important and to make more time for it.

I have been listening to podcasts too by various experts this week and so many of them were deeply enriching. Knowing that listening allows my mind to imagine and process - it’s a way to think laterally and creatively - it has also opened space to get perspective.

So is having a minimum level of “awe” with the ability to train up, the adaptogen?

Having a level of awareness for well being, with ability to heal.

I mean someone handed me a gold key at my 21st birthday party - we all got them that year - but it didn’t come with a golden door, or a manual to rainbows or a return policy with a courier account… the hangover just had a tax number in the morning.

But I think back now that perhaps that key shouldn’t hold tradition for being the legal age of being sued and rather be the symbolism for keeping your awe in life.

The golden key at any age to be responsible to unlocking your awe and always holding a percentage of magic, so you will remember the thrill of what inspires you.

I definitely got good with deadlines and deliverables early in life. Excelled by driving fast expectations to achieve and when we are young we have the energy to cast wide in our awe.

I have discovered though that I forgot, between the realities and traumas in life, that the skill in the consistency I am harping on about this year is actually in discovering the consistency to heal is in fact in being in the wonder of it all.

Anyway - I digress - there is a business opportunity for anyone who wants to make a killing in decent pajama’s by the way - I got to the end of the internet looking for a pair, to no avail.

Press 5 for new gold key.

Press 9 for magic.

... and if anyone finds me this jacket... I'm in awe.