Taking in the scenery from my balcony on my last day in Oregon
I’m currently sitting on my couch wearing gym attire contemplating whether or not to head to the gym. Five minutes into a repeat episode of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” I convince myself of an alternate plan to work out at 5am tomorrow before going to clinic (I confess that this is the 10th time I’ve created this plan, but have executed it only once).
My lackadaisical behavior doesn’t surprise me. Previous blogposts exhibit this behavior (here/) and I attribute the laziness to a recent move. My childhood memories relate the experience to the song “Kindergarten Wall:”
“And remember the seed in the little paper cup:
First the root grows down and then the plant grows up!”
I was uprooted when I moved to Oregon, then eventually established my community and made it my home. Moving is a huge transition. One may need to adjust to a new work environment or find a new job, meet new people, discover the least traffic congested roads, join a new gym, etc. I have several patients who present with depression related to a recent move. Though each case is unique, I don’t automatically treat the depression by adding a new medication because mood may improve over time. I empathize with their struggles and generally offer support through the adjustment phase.
It took me about six months to feel comfortable living in Oregon, though i criticized myself each time I felt sad, homesick, and overwhelmed with change. Now that I’m back in so-cal, it’s taking a bit longer than expected to create a daily routine, but I’m familiar with my pattern of establishing roots in a new area of residence (the exercise routine will get there…eventually).