Pull Over. Something’s Wrong.

Yesterday, I was riding my bike and started feeling sick. At first, it was mild, just a bit of heartburn. But then I began to feel woozy. I was all set to push through the pain and finish the ride. We were only 15 minutes from home, and I didn’t want to mess up the plan or disrupt my partner’s evening. But something inside me said, “Stop.”

The old me would have ignored the pain, would have kept going. But I had to remind myself that the version of me I’m striving to be would check in with herself first. So, I stopped. And I’m so glad I did. A few minutes later, I was lying on a park bench, feeling faint and burning up with a full-body hot flash.

While I rested, I pulled out the tools I’ve learned: First, don’t panic. Even though my body was going haywire, I focused on deep, calm breathing, noticed my surroundings, hydrated, took some meds, and let my partner help me. Slowly, I started to feel better and eventually made it home.

I don’t like it when things don’t go my way. I didn’t want to be sick, and I wanted the evening to go as planned. But in that moment, I had to let go of those wants. If I had pushed myself, I would have ended up in a much worse place. Admitting that something was wrong and accepting help wasn’t what I wanted to do, but it was what I needed. And part of that was not beating myself up for it.

ACTION: The next time you feel something off in your body or mind, take a moment to pause and assess. Ask yourself what you really need in that moment, and don’t be afraid to change your plans if necessary.