#362: Feeling Under the Weather? Get Inspired to Use Your Sick Day for a Personal Growth Boost!

Kevin Lowe: The case for me when I am sick.

Kevin Lowe: And right now, I am sick. I've been sick for the past week, and I'm kind of over it.

Kevin Lowe: But because I do what I do, because this podcast is here to do what it does, I decided to flip the script on being sick because maybe you're sick or if you haven't been sick yet so far this year, You're probably going to get sick.

Kevin Lowe: At some point.

Kevin Lowe: And what if there was.

Kevin Lowe: A way that We could transform that sick day into an opportunity for growth.

Kevin Lowe: For personal growth and development?

Kevin Lowe: Yes, my friend, we are making lemonade out of lemons today by turning a sick day into a day of transformation.

Kevin Lowe: If you're up for it, Well, then, my friend.

Kevin Lowe: I'm excited you're here.

Kevin Lowe: I welcome you to episode 362.

Kevin Lowe: Hey, I'm your host, Kevin Lowe, and you are listening to Grit, Grace, and Inspiration.

Kevin Lowe: Kicking off 2025 being sick wasn't really on my to-do list.

Kevin Lowe: I hadn't dare thought of a New Year's resolution to Be sick in.

Kevin Lowe: 2025. No, matter of fact, I wouldn't be healthy this year.

Kevin Lowe: And yet, like so many people, I too have been sick.

Kevin Lowe: For the past week.

Kevin Lowe: At the time I'm recording this.

Kevin Lowe: It's been a solid seven days that I have felt like total crap.

Kevin Lowe: And based on my Facebook newsfeed, I am not the only one. It seems like everybody.

Kevin Lowe: I know is either sick or has been sick, or unfortunately is probably about to get sick.

Kevin Lowe: And so today, figuring that I'm not the only one, I figured we might as well flip the script on this whole idea of being sick and see if we can't make something.

Kevin Lowe: Good come out of it.

Kevin Lowe: But before we focus on the positive.

Kevin Lowe: I feel you. Being sick is the worst.

Kevin Lowe: You're stuck in bed.

Kevin Lowe: You're not getting to do the stuff you want to do.

Kevin Lowe: You're having to cancel appointments. You're not getting to go out and have fun.

Kevin Lowe: Maybe you had plans to do stuff over this past week.

Kevin Lowe: And Yet now you're.

Kevin Lowe: Sick and you're not getting to do them.

Kevin Lowe: You're stuck in bed. You feel absolutely miserable. You have the worst sinus headache ever.

Kevin Lowe: You're coughing like crazy, and you're honestly.

Kevin Lowe: Just about at your wit's end.

Kevin Lowe: I understand.

Kevin Lowe: I get it. Being sick is horrible.

Kevin Lowe: But since this is a podcast.

Kevin Lowe: After all, that I hope Brings a smile.

Kevin Lowe: To your face that maybe lights up your day and hopefully leaves you with a fresh view on life, I Figured we might as well.

Kevin Lowe: Focus on some positive aspects of the sick day.

Kevin Lowe: Because the most important thing for us to know is that this is temporary.

Kevin Lowe: This too shall pass.

Kevin Lowe: And while we're here in the thick of it all, feeling like crap, laid up in our bed, wishing for better days to come, what if we could get something out.

Kevin Lowe: Of this time?

Kevin Lowe: And that is what today is all about. I've got some mindset shifts.

Kevin Lowe: I got some strategies to help you not Only get through being.

Kevin Lowe: Sick, but come out on the other side, a better version of you.

Kevin Lowe: First and most importantly, my friend is I want you to understand that your physical health is your mental health.

Kevin Lowe: They are one in the same.

Kevin Lowe: And at times when you are sick, when your physical health is impacted, it's very easy for your mental health to.

Kevin Lowe: Be impacted as well.

Kevin Lowe: Because if you're anything like me, one day down and out.

Kevin Lowe: I can deal with it.

Kevin Lowe: Let that turn into days on end. And yeah.

Kevin Lowe: I can have A simple cold, a flu, whatever it is, turn into an emotional tornado.

Kevin Lowe: Because it's more than just about.

Kevin Lowe: Being frustrated that you can't get out and do stuff.

Kevin Lowe: It's more than being aggravated that you don't feel good.

Kevin Lowe: No, it's your mental health truly can be impacted. Even if you're somebody like me.

Kevin Lowe: One of those glass half full personalities, You can simply find yourself starting to focus on all the negatives. And even more so.

Kevin Lowe: It gets deeper than that.

Kevin Lowe: You start thinking about all the stuff that you've been working on, all the plans.

Kevin Lowe: That you had for the year, And you can't help but all of a sudden start doubting your ideas.

Kevin Lowe: You're starting to second guess.

Kevin Lowe: All of the Things you've been working on. and you're starting to wonder, why am I even trying?

Kevin Lowe: It's so easy for this to happen. It's so easy to find.

Kevin Lowe: Yourself digging yourself into this hole When you're not feeling good because it's impacting your mental health.

Kevin Lowe: So the most important thing for us to understand is that this is going to happen.

Kevin Lowe: It's just a fact.

Kevin Lowe: I know it is for myself. And if we're ever going to do anything about it, we have to first acknowledge it, recognize it, understand that it's coming.

Kevin Lowe: And again, my friend, what I said earlier is understand that this too shall pass.

Kevin Lowe: This is not forever. This is temporary.

Kevin Lowe: It is literally a blip on the calendar for the year that is 2025.

Kevin Lowe: So if you are feeling under the weather and you're starting to get that mindset that like, man, this year is going to be terrible.

Kevin Lowe: I'm already sick. Everything else is just going to fall apart.

Kevin Lowe: I know it.

Kevin Lowe: Well, my friend, before you spin yourself into an emotional tornado, I want you to.

Kevin Lowe: Repeat the words that this too shall pass.

Kevin Lowe: I want you to make this your mantra.

Kevin Lowe: I Want you to.

Kevin Lowe: Write it down if you have to.

Kevin Lowe: And I want you to keep it on your nightstand. And every time you wake up, every morning you get up, I want you to look at that notepad, and I want you to read it out loud to yourself.

Kevin Lowe: This too shall pass.

Kevin Lowe: This is temporary. This is not forever.

Kevin Lowe: I'm going to be okay. We're going to get through this.

Kevin Lowe: All of my dreams, my plans, they're just on a pause. They're not stopped.

Kevin Lowe: They're not derailed. I just have to give myself the grace to be sick.

Kevin Lowe: Like, sometimes we just have to be able to hit the pause button on life and understand that we're sick and it's okay.

Kevin Lowe: It's just part of life.

Kevin Lowe: Now, say you are sick right now that you're listening to today's episode.

Kevin Lowe: Well, I thought I'd share with you three of the things that help me when I am sick.

Kevin Lowe: First and foremost, I'm going to call it music therapy.

Kevin Lowe: Obviously, as a podcast host, I listen to a lot of podcasts.

Kevin Lowe: I have a subscription to Audible where I get a new audiobook every month.

Kevin Lowe: Well, you know what? I rarely ever listen to an audiobook.

Kevin Lowe: They're so long. I want a quick win. And I have my favorite podcast that I listen to every week. It takes up my time. And so when I'm drinking my morning cup of coffee.

Kevin Lowe: I'm listening to a podcast.

Kevin Lowe: In the afternoon, when I've got a break.

Kevin Lowe: I'm listening to a podcast.

Kevin Lowe: But when I'm sick, I don't want to listen to stuff like this podcast.

Kevin Lowe: Doesn't that seem a little bit ironic? But no, I don't want to be listening to stuff about being positive and about personal growth and development or about helping me grow my speaking business.

Kevin Lowe: No. So instead, I found the best thing to do is to turn to music.

Kevin Lowe: Yeah, instead of listening to a podcast, I put on my favorite playlist.

Kevin Lowe: Typically, I go back to when I was a kid. A good old best of the 90s playlist always does wonders for me.

Kevin Lowe: So for you, if you are feeling a little under the weather.

Kevin Lowe: A little stressed out, A little anxious, maybe just put on some music for a change. Turn off the TV.

Kevin Lowe: Switch off of the podcast, And just put on some music, something that's relaxing, something that just brings some good vibes your way.

Kevin Lowe: The energy that music can bring to your day is absolutely magical.

Kevin Lowe: Now, my second tip for you is when you're feeling really bad, like the times in the day like I've been having where all of a sudden I.

Kevin Lowe: Just feel awful.

Kevin Lowe: The best thing that I can do is to get in for.

Kevin Lowe: A hot shower.

Kevin Lowe: Yes, my friend, you want to take this to the next level? Go ahead and use one of those nose sprays before you get into the steamy hot shower.

Kevin Lowe: Then just give yourself some time. Basically, it's like an impromptu spa day.

Kevin Lowe: Yes, you are sick, but why can't we do a spa treatment at home?

Kevin Lowe: So standing in the shower, laying down in the bathtub, whatever your style, getting in that hot shower, my friend, it does wonders for me.

Kevin Lowe: And I can only imagine it will do wonders for you.

Kevin Lowe: Not only does it help you feel better physically, but mentally, my goodness, is it a miracle worker?

Kevin Lowe: Now, my third tip isn't anything out of the ordinary either.

Kevin Lowe: But it's just something to remind yourself of, Of something warm to drink. Now, you can do many different things.

Kevin Lowe: People talk about tea with honey and lemon.

Kevin Lowe: Me, I've actually been lucky enough that back during Christmas, my grandmother made me up some of her Russian spiced tea mix.

Kevin Lowe: I think it's called. It's so delicious.

Kevin Lowe: And right now when I'm sick.

Kevin Lowe: A big hot cup of that has been amazing. But I also just love some green tea heated up.

Kevin Lowe: Or, of course.

Kevin Lowe: A cup of coffee In the morning.

Kevin Lowe: Which, I don't know, Being sick, the coffee doesn't quite do it for me quite like the other teas do.

Kevin Lowe: So, again, what I'm saying is, is basically treat yourself kind.

Kevin Lowe: Give yourself a special treat. Fix yourself a nice hot cup of tea.

Kevin Lowe: Sit down and relax. And if that doesn't do it, well, then get in that hot shower and just totally chill out.

Kevin Lowe: And I guess if you want to just combine it all together, go ahead and throw some music on the phone as well.

Kevin Lowe: And you can be listening to that nice, relaxing music while you're in the steamy hot shower.

Kevin Lowe: Whatever you have to do, my friend, just do it and get through this time.

Kevin Lowe: Because remember, this is not forever. It's only temporary, and me and you can get through it together.

Kevin Lowe: Now, here's the big picture about today's episode.

Kevin Lowe: If you didn't listen to anything else I said, I hope you just turn up the volume right now and listen a little bit closer.

Kevin Lowe: Because the thing is.

Kevin Lowe: Is whether it's sick or Any other thing, life is going to throw.

Kevin Lowe: Curveballs our way. It's just a fact of life.

Kevin Lowe: Sometimes you're going to be going through life and all of a sudden it's like the coach just throws you out of the game, puts you on the bench.

Kevin Lowe: You're now riding the bench while life is going on.

Kevin Lowe: And you get frustrated. You're aggravated. You don't understand why you have to be sidelined.

Kevin Lowe: But the thing to remember is that being benched doesn't mean that you're out.

Kevin Lowe: Of the game.

Kevin Lowe: No, you're still there. Sometimes you just need a pause.

Kevin Lowe: So while you're riding the bench, use this time to just rest and reflect.

Kevin Lowe: Use this time to focus on you.

Kevin Lowe: Ask yourself some of those big questions about life, about what is it that's really and truly important to me in my life.

Kevin Lowe: In times like this, my friend, you realize that health, it's truly everything. Maybe start to think.

Kevin Lowe: How can I start Treating myself better more than just when I'm sick?

Kevin Lowe: What can I start doing to help me be a healthier version of me every day, not just when I'm sick?

Kevin Lowe: And I think one of the most powerful.

Kevin Lowe: Questions we can ask ourselves When we're at the lowest is what am I grateful for right now?

Kevin Lowe: Even in this moment, what do I have to be grateful for?

Kevin Lowe: I oftentimes refer to this as our base.

Kevin Lowe: For me, I always turn to my faith.

Kevin Lowe: And my family, But it can be other things too. Like your dog, like my little dog, Sophia, who brings a smile to my face every morning when she comes down with such excitement.

Kevin Lowe: Or maybe it's the sound of the birds outside your window who are singing away as if they've never been sick a day in their life.

Kevin Lowe: Maybe they're just there for you, helping to remind you that it's all going to be okay.

Kevin Lowe: We just have to remember that these moments of pause.

Kevin Lowe: They can be impactful if we let them.

Kevin Lowe: If we focus on us, if we focus on the positive, my friend, we can make positive come out of even the worst of days.

Kevin Lowe: So I leave you with one final thought, my friend, is that the sickness, this illness, whatever you're going through, you are stronger than any of it.

Kevin Lowe: You are bigger and badder than you've ever realized. You can get through.

Kevin Lowe: This just as I will do the same.

Kevin Lowe: Because, my friend, it's temporary.

Kevin Lowe: We got this.

Kevin Lowe: We can do this. And together, we'll come out better versions of us.

Kevin Lowe: until next time hopefully my voice is maybe a little bit better for.

Kevin Lowe: Our next episode And hey if nothing else hopefully today's episode made you laugh made you think a little and if you know somebody who needs to hear it well my friend please share today's.

Kevin Lowe: Episode with them And until next time i'm your host Kevin Lowe hopefully you and me will get.

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