Six months after I was released from ICU my mom said to me, “Life is different now, and I’m so sorry about that.“
She’s right. Life is different now, and I’ve never had to work so hard for my health.
I suspect you may relate to this. Whether you’ve been affected by inflation, long Covid, or simply the change in social behavior. Collectively, we are all having to work hard to maintain our health.
Many people affected by long Covid are living with heart conditions, difficulty breathing, and long lasting fatigue. For me, I have to manage my stress levels in order to keep my nervous system from flaring up. Other times symptoms show up unexpectedly, seemingly unrelated, with zero explanation and all the tests come back normal. Doctors can’t explain why. My only defense is to take care of my health with diligence.
People who haven’t had Covid, and those who’ve breezed through it totally fine, are still faced with stresses that will challenge their health – mind, body, and soul.
Jo-Jeff and I were recently interviewed to tell the story of how we helped Gabriola Fitness survive and the impact it had on us as a family. This was part of a collective project in order to archive what communities and businesses went through in the early stages of the pandemic.
I was surprised by how emotional it was to tell our story. The story of having to lock the doors of Gabriola Fitness, build walls, and completely change our business model in order to survive. The story of what it took to keep our family and community safe while guiding our young children and teenagers through it. The story of how the community came together and supported us through the toughest of times. The interviewers told us that many people were also emotional when interviewed.
Everyone has a story of how the pandemic has affected their life. As a society, and as a community, we’re still living the reality that shook our world and has not yet ended. Many people, including my family, have yet to unravel the impact the last three years have had on our mental and emotional health. Your story is important. You are not alone.
Businesses and community interactions look different now, yet are slowly changing back to some form of normalcy. This summer I enjoyed gatherings with family, friends and fellow community members. I’ve been able to travel a bit and go to the market with relative ease. Connection is so important and vital for health and well being. What once was not even a consideration, now seems like luxury.
Some positive changes at Gabriola Fitness that evolved from the pandemic are that the weekly classes are now included in all monthly gym memberships. We’ve also expanded our reach to people from other communities who can enjoy our programs and classes too! Because of our online presence, we’ve helped people stay close to their community while away, or while self isolating, as well as stay close to other family members and friends by inviting them to join from where ever they are.
At Gabriola Fitness we’ve had to think outside the box and get creative by offering new and innovative programs. Programs that are geared more towards a persons total health as well as specific needs such as The Kickstart Program, Gold Star Outdoor Circuit Training, and From Start to Finish ~ Trail Running Program.
Another new program beginning this fall is Drop In Personal Training. This exciting new offering was created to make personal training accessible and affordable. A way for people to learn to use gym equipment effectively as well as to add inspiration, guidance, and check ins for our current members.
We don’t know what this winter will bring, but one thing we know for sure is that Gabriola Fitness is dedicated to helping you. The team at Gabriola Fitness is always working hard and striving to provide the best possible facility and training. A place to take time for yourself, and your health.
Visit gabriolafitness.com or contact us by email – info@gabriolafitness.com. We love to hear from you and look forward to seeing you soon!
Feel great, Love life!
The Team
I loved this post Tasha. So many emotions appear once our fears have subsided. I have similar issues from my time fighting cancer. Our mind’s way of coping is to put things away to be unpacked later when we can handle them.
Thank you Dawn!