Food For Your Soul: Dawn McGee
When life feels like an avalanche, knowing how to maintain wellness during stressful times can be the difference between survival mode and intentional recovery.
You know those seasons when it feels like you’re barely keeping up and then everything comes crashing down? That’s where I’ve been lately.
We all face curveballs. Illness. Family needs. Business pressures. Emotional overwhelm. And sometimes those curveballs stack up so fast it feels like an avalanche.
So what do you do next? How do you get through the avalanche and come out okay on the other side?
The answer isn’t to “power through.” In fact, sometimes it’s the opposite. Sometimes you can’t–and shouldn’t–”just keep going.” So if you’re in a season that feels like an avalanche, here are my tips to maintain wellness.
How To Maintain Wellness During Stressful Times By Giving Yourself Permission To Pause:
Let me be clear: it’s okay to take a break. If you’re like me, you may have been told throughout your life that no matter what happens, you can’t just stop. You have to keep going. I disagree. I believe that it is not just okay, but necessary to “hit pause” on your everyday routine sometimes.
Pausing looks different for everyone. For one person, it may look like going totally off-grid. For someone else, it may mean saying “no” to all the extras–anything that isn’t critically important.
10 Real-Life Ways To Pause When Everything Feels Like Too Much:
- Shut off your phone.
- Put up an out-of-office message.
- Unplug from social media.
- Step away from your routine.
- Take time off of work. A month, a week, or even a half-day.
- Ask a family member or friend to handle the kids’ activities for a week.
- Ask your partner to take care of your household responsibilities.
- Reschedule all non-essential meetings for next week.
- Get takeout instead of cooking.
- Get out of town for the weekend.
Even if you can’t fully disconnect, because you have kids or other non-negotiable responsibilities, you can still give yourself a partial pause. A moment to breathe. To reset. To laugh. To take care of you.
Easing Back After A Pause: Give Yourself Permission To Go Slow:
Coming back after your pause isn’t like flipping a light switch. What I’m saying is, you don’t have to do it all at once. Take your time. Ease back into it.
For me, that has meant doing less networking than usual. I’m not saying yes to every invite. I’m pulling back, resting, and hunkering down with my family in Vermont. It’s slow and intentional, because that’s what I need. I’ll get “back to normal” at my own pace.
If you’re in your own avalanche moment, ask yourself:
- What do I need most right now?
- What can wait?
“Do What You Can. Can the Rest.”
This is advice from my neighbor, and it stuck with me: “You do what you can…and can the rest.”
In other words, you may not be able to meet every expectation. When life feels like an avalanche, you probably can’t keep every proverbial plate spinning.
Sometimes you push through. Sometimes you don’t. And when you’re in an avalanche? You don’t. Instead? You regroup. You hibernate. You come home to yourself. Then, when the time is right, you begin again.
How To Maintain Wellness During Stressful Times By Reassessing What No Longer Serves You:
If you’re already hitting pause, it’s the perfect time to reassess which things in your life still serve you and which don’t.
You may find that you’re still holding onto relationships, activities, communities, commitments, and other things that are no longer in alignment with your life.
So as you ease back into your everyday life, ask yourself:
- What felt good to give up?
- What did I not miss?
- What will feel like a relief to let go of?
Maybe it’s your position in the PTA. Maybe it’s a friendship with someone who always brings negativity. Maybe it’s a hobby that no longer fits your lifestyle. Reassess, and don’t be afraid to let go.
Let The Avalanche Pass–Take What You Need And Let The Rest Go:
More than anything, what I hope you will take away is this: We’re human. We feel things. We need rest.
The truth is, no one gets to the end of their life and wishes they had worked more. But they do wish they had taken better care of themselves.
If you’re in a season where life feels like an avalanche, I see you. Take what you need. Let the rest go. Your body, brain, and business will thank you for it.
As always, what I hope for you is that you live a life you love without giving up the things that bring you joy.
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About The Author:
Dawn McGee is a Nutrition Evangelist and Lazy Cook. She is super passionate about putting the fun back into being healthy and does that by teaching women how to eat to serve their body, brain, and soul so that they can get off the sidelines and back to doing all of the things that bring them joy. She works with women who are ready to make their health a priority and just need someone to help them get started and guide them through the process.
Dawn has been coaching clients in person, online, in groups, and in a 1:1 capacity for more than a dozen years. Prior to becoming a nutrition and fitness coach, she spent over 25 years in the high-tech industry, so she truly understands the life of busy professional women.
Are you a fellow professional in the fitness or wellness industry? Did you know that Dawn spent 35+ years honing her skills in sales, marketing, and business strategy–and 20+ years in the Wellness industry? Now she is using what she knows to support entrepreneurs like you. If you’re ready to move into the next phase of your business journey, schedule a complimentary call with Dawn here or email her at
