If you’re having a hard time, go back to basics.

We all struggle. I don’t care how great your life is generally – there are going to be times when you’re just GOING THROUGH IT. It happens to all of us, and until someone figures out a way around it (which is probably never happening), it’s something we just have to accept as a fact of life. There will be a point when it isn’t your day, week, month, or year.

So knowing that it’s inevitable, what do we do about it? Sit on our couch, cry, and wait for time to pass? Well, maybe sometimes. But when the struggle bus keeps you on board for longer than you can chill before it starts negatively impacting your life, it can be more complicated to figure out what you need.

I’ll be honest, the last month or so has been rough for me.

First I got really sick. I actually don’t remember being that sick in my entire life, so that in and of itself was pretty scary. Despite the surprise positive effects of an unexpected Instagram break, it wasn’t a good time.

A week after the days of 100 degree fevers passed, I had a pain flare up that I’ve been dealing with ever since. Not only did that come with increased discomfort, but it also involved a whole lot of bullshit (sorry, there isn’t a better word for it!) with scheduling appointments, insurance, and a lot of cash thrown down to try to fix it. Not to mention the emotional burden of managing all of the above. Things are starting to get better, and I can see a light at the end of the tunnel, but I also feel a little bit like I just survived a war. War is exhausting.

So how did I make it to the other side (or at least, almost the other side)? I made things really, really simple.

I can’t fix the healthcare system, or give myself the much needed injection to stop the pain. There’s no way for me to trade bodies with someone who doesn’t have to deal with this. I wasn’t able to prevent every medical professional I know from all going out of town in the same week. Yes, seriously.

But, I could make sure I had enough granola.

Yeah, that took an unexpected turn, right? So let me back up and explain my obsession with the Picky Bars PB&J All Day Granola. I love all things Picky Bars. The oatmeal fuels my runs, and the bars prevent my hanger/runger, because no one wants to be dealing with that. But the granola? The best. And when you add it to Oatly (yes, another food obsession)? LITERALLY SENT FROM HEAVEN. Try it, your life will change.

Every night when I come home from work, I pour a bowl of granola and Oatly and eat it as a snack before I start to make dinner.

Yes, I have a snack like I’m a kid coming home from school. Yes, I need a snack before I cook more food. But I digress.

One of the, if not the, hardest parts for me of a pain flare is how much harder it is to get through a day and how little control I have over when it ends. I don’t always have control over my body, and that’s a challenge. But I can do things to make sure everything else is as seamless as possible – like having my granola and not having to think about what I’m going to eat when I get home from work.

It sounds so simple, and yet, the simple things are what keep you from totally losing it.

Another fun example: during that period I had the plague (that’s what I’m calling it because I still don’t know WTH it was), there was a night I finally felt strong enough to make dinner. I wanted tostadas because they’re easy and delicious. As a side note, I love the pico de gallo from Trader Joe’s. There’s another food rec for you! Turns out, we had used it all and there was none left in the fridge that night. We could have found a substitute elsewhere, but I was adamant that I wanted THAT pico de gallo. Why? I promise it wasn’t to be the world’s most difficult human. Because I couldn’t control how I felt, or when my fever would go down. I couldn’t control the runs I was missing, or the clients I had to cancel. But I could damn well top my tostadas with Trader Joe’s pico de gallo, AND THAT’S WHAT I WAS GOING TO DO. Guess what? It helped.

So if you’re having a difficult time, go back to basics.

What gets you through the day? Are there any routines or rituals that you really look forward to? Is there something that has historically brought you a lot of comfort? Focus on those things. If your life feels out of control and you’re not sure where you are or what day it is, it might not be possible to fix the actual problem. If that’s the case, make sure you have your morning coffee or your favorite ice cream in the house.

The Great Des Linden (her official name, I’ve now decided) once said “control the controllables” in terms of racing. Or in other words, don’t focus on the things you have no say over like the weather. Instead, shift your attention to being comfortable with your race plan and dressing accordingly for the forecast. That can be applied to life too. If things are totally out of whack, you might not be able to put them back in whack. Instead, make sure you’re surrounded by things that make you feel grounded, happy, and give you a little bit of a break from the madness. Go back to the simple, small acts that make you feel like yourself. When I’m having a flare, I might not feel like myself in a lot of ways. But I can still be the same me that loves granola drowning in Oatly, and that really does help.

Full disclosure: I am much better at practicing this in life than I am in running.

It can be extremely overwhelming to try to fix your circumstances that, at least in the moment, can’t be fixed. Instead, go back to basics and channel your energy into having everything around you that you have come to rely on everyday.