The Hoose

I’ve been suffering a lot with sinusitis recently.

It’s something that has always been an issue for me but a few months ago I decided I wouldn’t be taking any more painkillers, so I’m experiencing all of the pain, especially when singing. It’s like toothache, earache, headache and congestion all in one. It might seem odd to choose to feel pain when I could just make it go away, but over the years I have been eradicating bad habits one by one, and most recently was sugar, and pain pills.

I know I did it to myself anyway: I started smoking at age 11 or 12, and although I quit multiple times over the years, I have only been stopped for a relatively small period of time. I did some research and apparently chronic sinusitis persists for ten years after cessation, although it does get gradually better. So, my new tactic will be to accept it instead of hoping to wake up one day and feel all better. I think this way I won’t suffer as much, and then when I am improved, it will be an unexpected blessing.

I also had a serious sugar addiction my entire life, and I started to experience some disturbing symptoms in the last few years, which prompted me to stop almost all consumption. Sugar is everywhere, and even though it is common knowledge that it can cause diabetes and a host of other health issues, most people look at you like you’re crazy when you say you have a problem. This was certainly the case in my family, and sugar was pushed on all the children from a very young age.

I have had a lot of insights over the last few years, and embarking on this unique adventure has allowed me the space to really explore my philosophies and understanding of the world, and to challenge them in a safe space. It’s so easy to get pushed and pulled by others’ ideas, especially when they are deeply ingrained in your culture. I found that it was too difficult to break free of my conditioning while living in my hometown, and I kept falling into old patterns and beliefs. I didn’t know that leaving everything behind would have such profound positive effects on my mental, spiritual and physical health, but it has. Each day we all become happier and healthier, and the evidence is undeniable.

It hasn’t been an easy journey, but I am walking this path with the confidence that comes from knowing that I am finally headed in the right direction for my family and me.