HJNO Mar/Apr 2022

56 MAR / APR 2022 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS COLUMN FITNESS ON CHRISTMAS EVE MORNING, 2021, I rolled out of bed after a rough night’s sleep, not because I was anticipating Santa’s an- nual return, but more likely related to the tremendous headache I was experiencing. A little later, my three daughters and I were trying to figure out what we were doing for breakfast, when my middle daughter (23 years old) shared with us that she had experienced the same headache with slight fever a few days prior … uh oh. We ran out and purchased COVID rapid tests from the local pharmacy, and sure enough, I tested positive (along with the offspring that be- stowed this pre-Christmas gift on me). We immediately began our quarantines, hoping that it wouldn’t spread throughout our household for the holidays. Fortu- nately, neither of my other two daughters contracted the virus, but we still couldn’t enjoy the traditional Christmas festivities (except via Zoom). Then it hit me — no more workouts! I know, I should have been more concerned about my overall health, given the wide variety of medical problems that can result fromCOVID-19, but mymind simply didn’t move in that direction at first. You see, I have developed a workout routine that makes me feel amazing. I like the effects and was sticking to it … or so I thought. The idea of putting those workouts on hold for an indefinite period caused me immediate anxiety — what would those missed work- outs do to my mental, physical, and emo- tional state? But, as a former football player, I’ve learned that sometimes you just have to call an audible and change the play when faced with an unexpected force. Over the years, I have also developed a toolkit for recentering and refocusing my thinking. So, after some breathing exercises and contemplation, I was able to relieve my anxiety and revisit three key points that have helped me establish a trajectory of optimal health in the past. In hopes they might also be helpful to you, I’ve shared them here. WHERE TO START?