Winter is Coming…

And I’m going to pause here for a moment and talk about how impossible self-care is right now.

I mean, let’s take a quick look at the current state, as I write this.  For me, I'm navigating remote learning for two…TWO!! Teenagers right now, after uprooting my family from NYC to make the Berkshires our home base for the eminent future, while my husband shares time between Gotham and the mountains, while I’m running my own businesses from home - where I have to build sets and navigate lighting for Live TV appearances, Zoom, zoom, zoom and build plans for new brand and product launches, (more on that later). We are living in 24/7 civil unrest as millions of people go hungry, worry about their safety and their futures and uncertainty. There is a global pandemic we cannot get under control, while my son suffers from lung disease and a compromised immune system that make him the low-hanging fruit Covid-19 and I launched a podcast during it all!  So… yes, I’m having a beer probably two, while I type this. In fact, like many people, I’ve probably allowed myself a few too many indulgences these last 8 months. If I wanted the cheddar ale soup or another glass of wine with dinner and then after, I've had it. It been tough after all, tough on all of us and we deserve it!  I’ve let myself feel all the emotions and wallow in it all, until today...

I always love the change of seasons, they signal change and are a good time for introspection and with it I realized that the lacking of control I have over the things I am used to being totally in control of is making me feel vulnerable, give in to shortfalls and just well not ‘deal’ so great.  I want to move from defense to offense and for me it starts with the things I  CAN control and how I nourish myself is in fact in my control, it is NOT impossible  but rather, every bit possible, i just had to turn my vulnerability on its head.

I believe in wellness and self-care so whole-heartedly, that I even went back to school to learn how to do it right. I work with a trainer, I started Heather Thomson Superfoods organic nutrition and I am getting ready to add organic skin care. The point is this goes deep for me. And today, even I had to kick myself to say, hey, it is time to control the things I can control to find my own happiness.

Have you ever had that dream where you’re naked in front of a big crowd? I’m sure it’s a metaphor for anxiety or better, vulnerability - which can be defined as uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure. It is that unstable feeling that we get when we step out of our comfort zone or do something or find ourselves in a situation that forces us to loosen our control.

For anyone who caught me on Watch What Happens Live, you might have noticed (like I did) that I was very well-lit, I’m talking, the kind of lights a search-and-rescue crew would use, I noticed it as soon as we went live, but I was not in a position to say, “hey Andy, can we 'Take 2' on your Live show while I attempt to re-light myself, after my failed first attempt?” And so, I stayed my position of washed-out and flat. Being on live television can be nerving enough, but when you have to light yourself, by yourself, from home too? Well, that too is a lesson in vulnerability. I want to look my best, of course but like so many people doing live remotes, working from home, I have yet to perfect my technical lighting skills and so there I was, ghostly in front of millions but I smiled wide! I gave into the vulnerability, because it's ok I am not perfectly lit, at  50 years old, I went on Watch What Happens Live with no make-up on, from a cramped corner in my home because of all the windows that work against me, with my amateur blow dry, (I am not great with hair tools), all poorly lit and I had a great time!

Waking up and opting for make-up free skin has been a big change for me after the pile up of cosmetics that go hand in hand with traditional and high definition TV.  I love beautiful make-up but the exception I will no longer make is that it must respect my skin. Using chemical free make up and skin care changed the game for me, i now care for my skin instead of cover it. Our skin is a largest organ and it absorbs everything we put on it and without nurturing it with pure and protective ingredients, we expose ourselves to all kinds of harm, both external (sun spots- yuck) and internal. Did you know that over 100K people per year are diagnosed with Melanoma? And beyond that, if you use 6 products or more you could be putting up to 80 different chemicals on your skin.  And it’s not enough to just have a skincare routine and moisturize, you also need to eat right and reduce stress.

I didn’t get to 50 years old and feel confident enough to go on live television without makeup on by not taking care of myself.  I am thoughtful about my Wellness every single day and while that doesn’t only revolve around what I eat or what I drink, or both;) right now, it is where I want to focus because it is totally in my control. That doesn’t mean it is easy however, so I am hitting the reset button and I am starting with a detox! You can too!

Let’s not wait for January to think about changes to get ourselves healthy and feeling better about what IS in our control, Fall in with me!)  If you’re interested in my skincare or products that I will be using throughout my detox any of the products you can find them here: https://www.shophq.com/b/beauty/heather-thomson-superfoods/?icid=DN-Beauty-Brand_3-HeatherThomsonSuperfoods and catch my Superfoods Show on ShopHQ on 9/23.

I did not let my brush with vulnerability on WWHL take away my shine, I'm just going to working on better lighting. Wellness is about much more then what we eat and drink - wellness is a state of mind, it is about e v e r y t h i n g that takes up room on our plates. We are all looking down at things we could have never imagined we would have to swallow; it makes it that much more important to take the right bites and let nature nurture us, be reminded of the important things, remember to smile wide through life’s vulnerabilities and know that Winter is coming but Fall is here now. 

For anyone who caught me on Watch What Happens Live, you might have noticed (like I did) that I was very well-lit, I’m talking, the kind of lights a search-and-rescue crew would use, I noticed it as soon as we went live, but I was not in a position to say, “hey Andy, can we 'Take 2' on your Live show while I attempt to re-light myself, after my failed first attempt?”