Everything is Leaking!

What to do when you're sick, and still have to perform.

Abe Burnett
July 30, 2023

I really thought I could dodge it this time. I’m an optimist like that. Even after watching this summer cold roll through the rest of the family and eventually take out Nicole, I still held out hope that somehow, somehow, I would be different.

Yet, here I sit, leaking. My eyes feel weepy, and my nose just won’t quit.

You know how it is. I’m sure you’ve been here, too. It’s no fun, and life doesn’t do sick days. Not really.

Even if you can call in sick to work, there’s still so much about life as an adult that doesn’t take a break. Doesn’t stop.

And if you’ve got kids, you know the special kind of hell which is parenting when all you want to do is close the blinds, crawl into bed, and sleep until you feel better.

Life goes on. Things have to be done. While some tasks can be postponed or reprioritized, some can’t. Maybe you can skip the dishes or the laundry for a day or two. Maybe even let the kids off chores and schoolwork until you’re feeling better.

It really comes down to the parts of our lives which are time sensitive—those are immovable no matter how bad you feel. You may or may not be able to skip a business or personal trip, but if you run a business there’s going to be a lot action items which simply won’t accept excuses.

And if you’re a competitor… well, you’ve probably experienced showing and competing when you’re not feeling your best. You’d rather not, of course, but the more serious you are as a competitor, the more likely you are to have had to perform under physical or emotional duress.

There’s nothing particularly mysterious about this assertion: it’s just logic and probability. if you show and compete more, you’ll be more likely to be competing AND sick more than folks who do one, two, or a few a season.

This is why it’s important that we train our minds and bodies when we’re well, because a robust practice of both will A) reduce the frequency of illness, and B) give you the tools you need to perform when you’re feeling down, off, or ill.

Before we get to specifics about what we can do about it, particularly before we get sick, why do we even care? So what if we miss a show, or a run at a show?

Why, oh why, am I typing away on this newsletter right now? Why don’t I just take the day off and spend it in bed?

While we will occasionally have illnesses (which make it completely unfeasible to compete, or work) this particular illness for me wasn’t that level of debilitating. I’m not up for working out at the gym or a hike up in the mountains, but if I push myself just a bit, I’m capable of delivering this newsletter (and I’m hoping it makes sense to clear-headed, non-sick, folks).

Delivering this newsletter matters because, as in competition, consistency is everything. It is my belief THE most important requirement for excellence and success in everything—showing, business, relationships, everything—is consistency. It’s also incredibly difficult to be consistent, which is probably why it matters so much.

Why does consistency matter so much? Consistency is the backbone of progress and growth. Whether it's in equitation, business, or personal development, consistent effort is what separates the best from the rest. When you're consistent, you build momentum, and even during challenging times like illness, that momentum can carry you through.

Think of it this way: if you're consistently putting in the work, a temporary setback like being sick won't completely derail your progress. It's like having a reserve of energy and motivation to draw upon when you need it the most. But achieving consistency requires discipline and dedication, especially during those moments when you feel less than your best.

Now, let's talk about what we can do to increase our chances of staying healthy and maintaining consistency in our endeavors, even when sickness tries to throw us off track:

Consistently practice your mental skills through meditation, breath work, visualization, self-hypnosis, and so on. The benefit of a consistent daily practice is that it gives you the ability to distance yourself from difficult or painful mental, emotional, or physical issues—like being sick. Additionally, it really helps with reducing stress which will make you healthier and less prone to illness.
Care for your body and mind consistently and it will pay dividends when you get (infrequently) sick. The better you care for your mind and body, the less frequently you’ll get sick, the shorter your illness will be, and the milder it’ll be. Excellent self-care also means getting consistent quality sleep, eating nourishing foods, and exercising vigorously.
Listen to your body as well as circumstances allow. Your body will appreciate you explicitly communicating with it during those times you need it to step up and deliver before you can rest. I find it helpful to literally have an out-loud chat with my body. I might say something like (and yes, this feels a bit silly to say), “Body, I’m grateful for everything you make possible, and I know right now you want me to take a break so you can focus your energy on recuperating. I apologize for the imposition, but I need to ask you to hang in there a bit longer, just until and then I promise I’ll give you what you need to rest and recuperate.” And then keep your word. I strongly believe that some mental disorders start as folks lying to their bodies, mistreating them, and going back on their commitments to their bodies. Don’t let that be you!
When you’re well, make developing good habits a cornerstone of your practice, because developing good habits makes it easier to just maintain the momentum good habits provide even when you don’t feel like it. Like tooth brushing and flossing. There was a time for years and decades when I maybe brushed once a day. I would floss…very infrequently. But then I discovered Tiny Habits and developed one which has reliably ensured I brush my teeth twice a day now and floss once. Even when I’m sick. It’s just easier to let the habit take over than it is to even let my sick brain decide “naw, not today.”

Of course it's okay to take a break and prioritize your health when needed. Especially when you don’t have any pressing commitments. Acknowledging your limits and taking the time to recover will help you come back stronger and more focused. That said, as we discussed above it’s frequently necessary to perform when we don’t feel like it. Because of that I’ve developed some heuristics for helping me decide what I’m going to do BEFORE it becomes relevant. This is useful because then it means I’m not trying to make important decisions WHEN I’m sick or feeling emotionally blue.

Rules of thumb I use to understand my reasonable limits is:

Do I feel well enough to leave the house and do something I enjoy? If YES then I’m definitely capable of doing things like exercising or work.
If I find myself debating if I “should” exercise, even if I don’t feel like going anywhere, that’s a good signal I’m capable of A) exercise, and B) work.
If I’m so miserable I can’t imagine any exercise, not even a mild walk down the block, and it takes all my will to avoid crawling into bed and sleeping and binge watching Netflix then I stick to just the absolute minimum. That’s where I’m at today. Capable of the bare minimum, but not much more.
If the illness demands…proximity to the bathroom etc. 😉 …then I give myself permission to cancel all appointments, and let the world burn until I feel well enough to not stay so close to the restroom.

Obviously, life frequently doesn't go as planned, and nobody enjoys getting sick—well, there’s probably one crazy person out there who LOVES getting sick, but most of us dread it.

If, however, we develop our consistency and take care of ourselves, we can navigate these challenges more effectively. Next time you find yourself facing an physical or emotional hurdle like an illness, remember that even when you can't give it your all, staying consistent in small ways can pay off hugely in the long run.

Thanks for reading!

We’ll catch you next week!

Adiós, mi amigos!

Abe

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