The paradox in the world of regenerative agriculture which has been glaring to me for some time, is the way so many of us working in this field are leading lives that are not regenerative to the people and social systems upon which the regenerative land management relies.
I read this and thought, That was me at the same age! I had shingles at age 32. My health care providers were like Wait that’s an old stressed out person’s disease …. And the depletion goes on from there.
I’m 59 now and the self care coupled with ambition is freaking hard. I just had my ass handed to me a couple months ago and I thought When will I learn? But in reality, I just simply love to live life and grab it with both hands.
every decade brings its challenges (health, financial, career, etc) — good for you for all the work you’re doing. It will serve you well. Live on, dream on and rest well. 💜
So well written. I relate so deeply. I'm 30 with an aggressive autoimmune disease and just south of you in Terrebonne on our little plot we manage regeneratively and part of that other the past 6 years has been making it regenerative for us as well, where the balance is especially with two kids 5 and under and my shaky health but strong desire to live! Horses and writing are what I'm leaning into to heal and laying down to rest wherever my kids are playing, haha. Chinese Herbs and acupuncture have been a huge part of my healing just message if you are interested in knowing more about that path, it's restored my hope I'll be ok! Thanks for sharing and your words!
Hi Raina! Thanks so much for sharing. I think there is a bigger cultural thread here that so many people (a lot of women our age) are realizing they have to slow down and recover. It’s a journey to unwind my conditioning. Sending you my best
Cate, it is so fortuitous that you are discovering this potential for self harm so early. I have a very good friend who, now in her 50s, experienced almost identically what you are describing when she was in her late 30s. She, her husband, her children, and the others in her life all failed to recognize that there were warning signs she should heed. unfortunately, she continued her hectic pace that led her into full-blown Addison’s disease. Every two or three years, she suffers an adrenal crisis and winds up in the hospital for 3 to 5 days. There is no cure, and she will forever take medication, that darkens her skin from her normal caucasian ivory to an almost Mediterranean hue. All of her clinicians agree her condition is stress-induced. A part of her stress was arising at 4 o’clock in the morning so she could “take care of herself“ with a workout. Please listen to your body and be well. ❤️
Wow Ken that is indeed sobering. I want to write about this honestly to hold my self to account, and to help my peers open up about it and address it in community. Nothing is more important than our health. Especially when our work is purpose driven, it’s hard to pump the brakes. I don’t have answers but I know that if we monitor, we catch these signs of degeneration earlier.
This is me too. I’m very type A and have been experiencing this since my early/mid twenties when I was a pot grower. I’m 35 now and after two pregnancies and all the stress life can throw at me, here I found myself.
It’s not like I haven’t spent over a decade seeking solutions or answers to these “problems,” but my lesson is in the lifestyle for sure. How do I slow down, is the question always on my mind these days. It’s gone on so long that even as I’m “resting” I’m feeling distress. I know this will be a winding path, one that sometimes strikes fear in me, but it’s the only way. Recently I quit coffee and had an even more extreme reaction and I’ve been wondering “have I just been pushing myself through what’s here with caffeine?”
Probably. Back to the slow road. Upward and onward.
Cate, this is extremely well written. You have many talents. I will send you a longer comment via email soon. Thoroughly enjoyed reading this treatise. Wish you continued success on this journey. It’s a beaut…
I read this and thought, That was me at the same age! I had shingles at age 32. My health care providers were like Wait that’s an old stressed out person’s disease …. And the depletion goes on from there.
I’m 59 now and the self care coupled with ambition is freaking hard. I just had my ass handed to me a couple months ago and I thought When will I learn? But in reality, I just simply love to live life and grab it with both hands.
every decade brings its challenges (health, financial, career, etc) — good for you for all the work you’re doing. It will serve you well. Live on, dream on and rest well. 💜
So well written. I relate so deeply. I'm 30 with an aggressive autoimmune disease and just south of you in Terrebonne on our little plot we manage regeneratively and part of that other the past 6 years has been making it regenerative for us as well, where the balance is especially with two kids 5 and under and my shaky health but strong desire to live! Horses and writing are what I'm leaning into to heal and laying down to rest wherever my kids are playing, haha. Chinese Herbs and acupuncture have been a huge part of my healing just message if you are interested in knowing more about that path, it's restored my hope I'll be ok! Thanks for sharing and your words!
Hi Raina! Thanks so much for sharing. I think there is a bigger cultural thread here that so many people (a lot of women our age) are realizing they have to slow down and recover. It’s a journey to unwind my conditioning. Sending you my best
Cate, it is so fortuitous that you are discovering this potential for self harm so early. I have a very good friend who, now in her 50s, experienced almost identically what you are describing when she was in her late 30s. She, her husband, her children, and the others in her life all failed to recognize that there were warning signs she should heed. unfortunately, she continued her hectic pace that led her into full-blown Addison’s disease. Every two or three years, she suffers an adrenal crisis and winds up in the hospital for 3 to 5 days. There is no cure, and she will forever take medication, that darkens her skin from her normal caucasian ivory to an almost Mediterranean hue. All of her clinicians agree her condition is stress-induced. A part of her stress was arising at 4 o’clock in the morning so she could “take care of herself“ with a workout. Please listen to your body and be well. ❤️
Wow Ken that is indeed sobering. I want to write about this honestly to hold my self to account, and to help my peers open up about it and address it in community. Nothing is more important than our health. Especially when our work is purpose driven, it’s hard to pump the brakes. I don’t have answers but I know that if we monitor, we catch these signs of degeneration earlier.
This is me too. I’m very type A and have been experiencing this since my early/mid twenties when I was a pot grower. I’m 35 now and after two pregnancies and all the stress life can throw at me, here I found myself.
It’s not like I haven’t spent over a decade seeking solutions or answers to these “problems,” but my lesson is in the lifestyle for sure. How do I slow down, is the question always on my mind these days. It’s gone on so long that even as I’m “resting” I’m feeling distress. I know this will be a winding path, one that sometimes strikes fear in me, but it’s the only way. Recently I quit coffee and had an even more extreme reaction and I’ve been wondering “have I just been pushing myself through what’s here with caffeine?”
Probably. Back to the slow road. Upward and onward.
Cate, this is extremely well written. You have many talents. I will send you a longer comment via email soon. Thoroughly enjoyed reading this treatise. Wish you continued success on this journey. It’s a beaut…