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

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If I'm gonna be brutally honest, I am probably the worst person ever to be sick.

Yes, I know call me a big baby, but I'm figuring the bigger we are, the harder we fall.

And that is the case for me when I am sick.

And right now, I am sick.

I've been sick for the past week and I'm kind of over it.

But because I do what I do, because this podcast is here to do what it does, I've 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 gonna get sick at some point.

And what if there was a way that we could transform that sick day into an opportunity for growth, for personal growth and development?

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

If you're up for it, well then, my friend, I'm excited you're here.

I welcome you to episode 362.

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

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

I hadn't dare thought of a New Year's resolution to be sick in 2025.

No, matter of fact, I wanted to be healthy this year.

And yet, like so many people, I too have been sick for the past week.

At the time I'm recording this, it's been a solid seven days that I have felt like total crap.

And based on my Facebook news feed, I am not the only one.

It seems like everybody I know is either sick or has been sick, or unfortunately is probably about to get sick.

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 good come out of it.

But before we focus on the positive, I feel you.

Being sick is the worst.

You're stuck in bed, you're not getting to do the stuff you want to do, you're having to cancel appointments, you're not getting to go out and have fun.

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

And yet now you're sick and you're not getting to do them.

You're stuck in bed, you feel absolutely miserable, you have the worst sinus headache ever, you're coughing like crazy, and you're honestly just about at your wit's end.

I understand.

I get it.

Being sick is horrible.

But since this is a podcast, after all, that I hope brings a smile 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 focus on some positive aspects of the sick day.

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

This too shall pass.

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 of this time?

And that is what today is all about.

I've got some mindset shifts.

I got some strategies to help you not only get through being sick, but come out on the other side a better version of you.

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

They are one in the same.

And at times when you are sick, when your physical health is impacted, it's very easy for your mental health to be impacted as well.

Because if you're anything like me, one day down and out, I can deal with it.

But let that turn into days on end.

And yeah, I can have a simple cold, a flu, whatever it is, turn into an emotional tornado.

Because it's more than just about being frustrated that you can't get out and do stuff.

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

No, it's your mental health truly can be impacted.

Even if you're somebody like me, one of those glass, half-full personalities, you can simply find yourself starting to focus on all the negatives.

And even more so, it gets deeper than that.

You start thinking about all the stuff that you've been working on, all the plans that you had for the year.

And you can't help but all of a sudden start doubting your ideas.

You're starting to second guess all of the things you've been working on.

And you're starting to wonder, why am I even trying?

It's so easy for this to happen.

It's so easy to find yourself digging yourself into this hole when you're not feeling good because it's impacting your mental health.

So the most important thing for us to understand is that this is gonna happen.

It's just a fact.

I know it is for myself.

And if we're ever gonna do anything about it, we have to first acknowledge it, recognize it, understand that it's coming.

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

This is not forever.

This is temporary.

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

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

I'm already sick.

Everything else is just gonna fall apart.

I know it.

Well, my friend, before you spin yourself into an emotional tornado, I want you to repeat the words that this too shall pass.

I want you to make this your mantra.

I want you to write it down if you have to, 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.

This too shall pass.

This is temporary.

This is not forever.

I'm going to be okay.

We're going to get through this.

All of my dreams, my plans, they're just on a pause.

They're not stopped.

They're not derailed.

I just have to give myself the grace to be sick.

Sometimes we just have to be able to hit the pause button on life and understand that we're sick and it's okay.

It's just part of life.

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

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

First and foremost, I'm gonna call it music therapy.

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

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

Well, you know what?

I rarely ever listen to an audiobook.

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, I'm listening to a podcast.

In the afternoon, when I've got a break, I'm listening to a podcast.

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

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.

No.

So instead, I found the best thing to do is to turn to music.

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

Typically, I go back to when I was a kid.

A good old best of the 90s playlist always does wonders for me.

So for you, if you are feeling a little under the weather, a little stressed out, a little anxious, maybe just put on some music for a change.

Turn off the TV, switch off of the podcast, and just put on some music, something that's relaxing, something that just brings some good vibes your way.

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

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 just feel awful.

The best thing that I can do is to get in for a hot shower.

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.

Then just give yourself some time.

Basically, it's like an impromptu spa day.

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

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.

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

Not only does it help you feel better physically, but mentally, my goodness, is it a miracle worker.

Now, my third tip isn't anything out of the ordinary either, but it's just something to remind yourself of something warm to drink.

Now, you can do many different things.

People talk about tea with honey and lemon.

Me, I've actually been lucky enough that back during Christmas, my grandmother made me up some of her Russian spice tea mix, I think it's called.

It's so delicious.

And right now, when I'm sick, a big hot cup of that has been amazing.

But I also just love some green tea heated up.

Or, of course, cup of coffee in the morning, which I don't know.

Being sick, the coffee doesn't quite do it for me, quite like the other teas do.

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

Give yourself a special treat.

Fix yourself a nice hot cup of tea.

Sit down and relax.

And if that doesn't do it, well, then get in that hot shower and just totally chill out.

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

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

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

Because remember, this is not forever.

It's only temporary, and me and you can get through it together.

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

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.

Because the thing is, is whether it's sick or any other thing, life is gonna throw curveballs our way.

It's just a fact of life.

Sometimes you're gonna 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.

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

And you get frustrated, you're aggravated, you don't understand why you have to be sidelined.

But the thing to remember is that being benched doesn't mean that you're out of the game.

No, you're still there.

Sometimes you just need a pause.

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

Use this time to focus on you.

Ask yourself some of those big questions about life.

About what is it that's really and truly important to me in my life?

In times like this, my friend, you realize that health, it's truly everything.

Maybe start to think: how can I start treating myself better more than just when I'm sick?

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

And I think one of the most powerful questions we can ask ourselves when we're at the lowest, is what am I grateful for right now?

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

I oftentimes refer to this as our base.

For me, I always turn to my faith 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.

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.

Maybe they're just there for you, helping to remind you that it's all gonna be okay.

We just have to remember that these moments of pause, they can be impactful if we let them.

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.

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.

You are bigger and badder than you've ever realized.

You can get through this just as I will do the same.

Because, my friend, it's temporary.

We got this, we can do this, and together we'll come out better versions of us.

Until next time, hopefully my voice is maybe a little bit better for 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 episode with them.

And until next time, I'm your host, Kevin Lowe.

Hopefully, you and me will get better soon.