They say things happen in 3’s and they sure did.

Let me take you back to 2012 when I decided to leave a job in the city to peruse my passion and head out to America for 3 months, to attend a yoga teacher training.  I’d been pretty active as a teenager and also trained in many fitness & exercise  disciplines before.  This time I decided on changing my career and life at 42 years of age.   Excited and bold, off  I went.
Number 1. Returning from the teacher training I struggled to find work as a teacher and this change of lifestyle turned quickly into a financially stressful time .  I was travelling outside London (as there was no work for me in the capital)and sleeping overnight on studio floors.  I remember staring at the studio ceiling one night thinking, what have I done?
Number 2. The relationship that I was in ended during my time away and I found myself also dealing with the emotional devastation a breakup brings 
Number 3. I was burnt out, exhausted and could barely drag myself out of bed .  Everything felt like such an effort! Walking, talking, waking up.  
Imagine going from super active, healthy and fit to suddenly feeling the way I did (point 3) ​

​​I spent many weeks pondering, calculating, figuring out and analysing why.  My internal rational way of thinking I put it down to points 1 & 2, repeatedly  telling myself it will pass! pull yourself together! You are probably depressed! 
snap out of it!   For a while, with moving my body and breathing techniques I managed to carry on teaching and functioning. However, something didn’t feel right at all.
​It’s a tricky one to describe exactly how I felt:  a massive grey cloud looked over me, my body was changing, it felt puffy and swollen, I could hardly recognise my face and neck.  Every day activities became slow in movement and thought.  The light within that wanted to burn brightly had lost its spark, its fuel and its burning desires. Not to mention I felt so cold.

Hesitant to go to the GP as I presumed they would just tell me I’m depressed and should take anti depressants. I relied on the internet to self-diagnosis and this only made me anxious and confused .  I knew I wasn’t depressed, as time passed I found more work teaching and was loving every moment of it, but still something was not right .

A few months later I hesitantly went to the GP (why do we put it off for so long?) blood tests were taken and the results came back  -  underactive thyroid! 

I had heard the term, underactive thyroid, before and had zero information about what this meant. The research started! 
  • What am I supposed to do?
  • Is the medication safe?
  • How much weight will I gain?
  • Will I ever feel normal again? 
I started to take the medication, levothyroxine, in  2013 ! Months went by and still I wasn’t feeling the way I knew I wanted and should be.   The tiredness was still there and the lack of energy the waves and swings emotionally.  I remember searching the internet day and night to find out more about what I could do.  My sleep was so interrupted and this cycle just kept going round each day.  I was a mess.
 
The yoga helped tremendously , not only physically but also kept my mental health in check.  I found Self care and meditation vital for feeling good, both inside and out.
 
During my research I can across The London Thyroid Friends - who have since become The Thyroid Trust.  I contacted them with my concerns about the level (amount ) of levothroxine prescribed to me (convinced it wasn’t high enough ).  I wanted a magic pill and I wanted it to work NOW.  Desperately trying to understand the exact levels of hormones from my results and seeing on the internet the varying levels Dr’s prescribed each patient. 
 
The Thyroid Friends offered reassurance and guidance about how I was feeling and explained about the medication, sending me some information from reliable sources.  Having someone to speak to like this was so valuable!  I was doing all the right things and needed the validation and support which they provided.  There isn’t a magic pill and you need to be patient and loving with yourself.
 
Staying in touch with The Thyroid Trust through my thyroid journey kept me connected and in the loop with all the amazing things they offer and support patients with.  In 2017 I had the honour to contribute by running a  Winter Wellness session at a Thyroid Trust event, talking about selfcare and leading the group in a series of chair yoga exercises, which we all enjoyed.  
 
Fast forward to 2020, there are a vast range of things we can do - honestly there are! I feel strong, inspired, motivated, grateful , blessed and powerful right now and I  believe this is how you can feel too, if you also have a thyroid condition.
 
Earlier on I spoke about things in 3’s  here are 3 things YOU  could start with!
Number 1. Don’t let yourself get into a  negative mindset of ‘labelling’ yourself with hypothyroidism! A negative mindset can literally  manifest symptoms! Accept your condition for what it is, but don’t give it power in your thoughts or attitude toward it.

Number 2. Stay active ! Find your thing 
  • Walking 
  • Cycling 
  • Dancing 
  • Yoga 
  • Gym 
And do it in a group, build a community around your activity, it will help motivate you in the days you feel overwhelmed and tired . Connect with The Thyroid Trust to access a supportive network of peers, as well as reliable information about your condition and a chance to support and help others if you wish. ​

Number 3. Be selfish! Not in a bad way, in a self-care way.  It’s for your survival. Repeat to yourself,  I’m feeling good! When you feel good, you radiate that feeling, others around you will feel it too.  Make the time to treat yourself :​
  • Get your hair done 
  • Your nails
  • ​Take a leisurely bath in your favourite oils, or bath salts and light a candle 
  • Learn to sit still and meditate for at least 8 minutes a day 
  • Self-massage 
  • Tea or coffee dates with friends (talk about the positives) 
  • Don’t feel sorry for yourself, take action and move.  
  • I’m not suggesting you run a marathon, just try and get a healthy sustainable exercise routine in to your day to day .
  • Eat healthy, nourishing foods .
  • Be patient with yourself, your medication and symptoms .
 
​2020 and approaching the young age of 50. I’m as active and creative as I’ve ever been!  I’m lucky enough to be in a position to help make people feel good everyday and for this I’m truly blessed .
Thank you to The Thyroid Trust for showing me your kindness and putting me in the right direction to move forward and past this stumbling block!  I really just see it like that! I’m strong, resilient and powerful and you can be too, regardless of the label on your pills!  
 
I feel so blessed and empowered right now I’m starting a new project “women power generation”. A movement for women 50 plus.  WPG will provide daily yoga, mobility, strengthening and stretching exercises.   Nutritional advice, meditation guides and a host of workshops through-out the year, led by experts in their field of wellness.   
 
Please don’t despair, there is a light and it’s within you,  you just might need help finding it again .

Forever grateful to The Thyroid Trust for supporting me when I felt so lost with my hypothyroidism. 
 
Creating by Connecting 
@shalateacher

Michelle has kindly agreed to run a Special Self Care Session for The Thyroid Trust on 28th May, on Zoom, as part of International Thyroid Awareness Week 2020.  Event details and booking link.