Last week we had a little bit of a celebration here at home. One year ago my twins, Ben and Elise were born. I honestly can’t believe it’s gone by so quickly. They’ve taught me a lot this year, mostly about keeping things simple (and… that I could survive on a lot less sleep than I thought was possible for awhile).
I want to share some of these lessons with you because in a lot of ways, I think babies have things sorted out so much more than we do! I'll also link in how you can shift your hormones by approaching things in a similar way.
Here is a picture of us from this summer, almost a year
old then!
Elise’s Life Lessons – slow down and appreciate the little things
Elise constantly reminds me to slow down. I can’t help but feel like life is simple when I’m around her. She’ll play with a crack in the floor for so long, looking into it to see what she might find. Even a crumb on her bib fascinates her.
Every night while she’s having quiet time as I give Ben his bath, she’ll flip through one of their books that I know she’s seen at least 100 times before with the same amount of interest as the first time. I’m sure each time she notices a little something different in the picture each time.
Elise has also taught me about being patient – she’s been working on learning to walk any chance she gets on her own few months now. Watching her constantly, gradually progress bit by bit was such a reminder that EVERYTHING we create happens in little steps. Literally. Sometimes I can forget this and expect myself to be somewhere so far ahead in such a short time. Of course this is a definite set up for failure!
The hormone link
Stress sends one key hormone sky rocketing – cortisol. It also increases adrenalin and epinephrine. ALL of these can affect your bodies ability to balance blood sugar, lose weight, and keep the reproductive hormones like estrogen and progesterone in check. By slowing down, you'll be able to get your cortisol down, and make a huge impact on balancing your other hormones.
Ben’s Life Lessons – smile, be curious and you’ll enjoy the ride
Ben, well, he’s taught me lots of other kinds of lessons. From him, I learned that no matter what, if you smile at others first, they’ll nearly always smile back. He makes A LOT of friends with this approach.
In Ben’s world, there's also no end to curiosity. He’s always looking for the outer edge on any room he’s in, or looking for what’s around the next corner. The little guy is never at rest.
And, as with Elise learning to walk slowly but surely, he shows what’s possible with tenacity. His style is just a little more…boisterous. If he wants something, he just goes for it. No worries or hesitation. And more times than not he gets what he wants (which is usually the toy Elise is playing with). So simple!
The hormone link
Serotonin is the neurotransmitter that makes us feel happy. It's the thing that many anti-depressants are focused on treating. Just the act of laughing or smiling naturally increases serotonin levels. And interestingly, by upping your serotonin naturally by doing things you love and connecting with others, you also balance out your estrogen levels. This can be especially helpful during menopause, or during the second half of your cycle when estrogen levels drop.
Their Biggest Lesson for Me: I truly LOVE my work as a naturopathic doctor
When I went on maternity leave, I really didn’t know what was in store for me as a first-time twin mom. I’d heard so many stories of how crazy it was going to be and I didn’t know how I’d cope balancing everything once I went back to work.
The nice surprise was that it was actually GREAT going back to work. I truly love what I do and it’s as much a part of who I am and my passion and purpose in life as being a mother is. They fit together better than I could have imagined.
So, thank you to B&E for this biggest lesson of all!
I’m HERE and ready to help YOU! If you have anything going on in your body that’s holding you back from feeling incredible and having the energy to create all that you want to, I can help. Email me at info@drvivianlord.com to find out more.
Take Action Now
Try Ben’s approach – is there something you really want and know would make you feel happy, but have been hesitating about? It may be time to go for it!
Try Elise’s approach – where do you need to slow down? What do you love to do that calms you down?
Or, grab a pen and paper and pick one person (or animal) you trust and love. It could be a pet, relative, mentor or friend. Write down 3 things that person has taught you that can guide you today.
All the best,
xx Vivian