When The Air Outside Isn’t Safe

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Transcript

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Before we begin today's episode, I want to let you know that this conversation is inspired by a real experience I had during the Canadian wildfire smoke that drifted into the Washington, DC area. Their quality became unhealthy, and for someone living with severe asthma, it wasn't just an inconvenience, it was a serious health concern. Also, before we get started, if I sound a little different today, if my voice is a little raspy or you hear me taking an extra breath here and there, it's because of my asthma and the weather changes. My asthma is something I live with every day, and changes in the weather, especially poor air quality, can affect my breathing and my voice. So if I sound a little different than I normally do, that's why. I appreciate you listening and I hope this episode reminds anyone dealing with asthma, COPD, allergies, or another respiratory condition that protecting your health is never something you should feel guilty about. Hey everyone, it's your girl Velvet, and welcome back to the Ask Velvet podcast. From the porch to the couch, come on in and stay, pull up a chair, get comfortable, and thank you for spending a little time with me today. Today's episode is called When the Air Quality Outside Isn't Safe. Sometimes life reminds us that slowing down isn't weakness. It's wisdom. Today was one of those days. I was supposed to go to work just like any other day. I got up, got myself together, and then I looked outside. Something just didn't seem right. The sky looked hazy, almost like someone had draped a gray blanket across Washington, DC. The news was calling it purple air quality because of the wildfire smoke drifting all the way down from Canada. When I stepped outside, I immediately noticed the smell. It smelled like something had burned. Not just a faint smell, a strong smell, the kind that makes you stop and think something isn't right. For most people, that smell may have been an inconvenience. For me, it was a warning. As many of you know, I have severe asthma. Asthma isn't something I can simply put push through. Sometimes my asthma feels like a fish out of water trying to breathe. That's honestly the best way I know how to describe it. When your lungs decide they're not going to cooperate, it's one of the scariest feelings in the world. I sat there asking myself, should I go to work? Should I risk it? Could I even make it there? The more I thought about it, the more I realized this wasn't just about getting through my shift. I honestly wasn't sure I'd make it to work without having trouble breathing. And that wasn't a risk I was willing to take. So I called out. And you know what? Sometimes we feel guilty for choosing ourselves. We worry about disappointing people. We worry about missing work. We worry about what others might think. But your health has to come first. You can't pour from an empty cup. And you can't take care of anyone else if you're struggling just to catch your breath. Once I made that decision, I went back inside. I closed every window. I made sure every door was shut tightly. I wanted to keep as much of that smoky air outside as I possibly could. Then I asked myself something. If I'm going to be home today, how can I make today count? Instead of focusing on what I couldn't do, I focused on what I could do. I spent time working on my blog website. I've been writing new blog posts, organizing everything, and continuing to build something I've dreamed about for a long time. So if you haven't visited my website yet, I'd love for you to stop by and check it out. There are several new blog posts waiting for you. I also spent time working on this podcast. I've been planning, recording, and getting several new episodes ready to drop this weekend. And I cannot wait to share them all with you. Days like today remind me that even when life forces us to slow down, we can still move forward. Progress doesn't always happen at full speed. Sometimes progress looks like resting. Sometimes progress looks like protecting your peace. Sometimes looks like sitting at your laptop, writing one more blog post, editing one more podcast episode, or simply believing that what you're building matters. As evening came around, I finally decided it was time to relax. I've really started enjoying soccer lately, and tonight I settled in to watch a match. Spain and Argentina will be playing on Sunday, and I'm looking forward to watching that game too. It's funny how life works. A day that started with worry ended with gratitude. I was safe, I was breathing. I had accomplished more than I thought I would, and I never had to put my health in danger to do it. If there's one thing I hope you take away from today's episode, it's this. Please don't ignore air quality alerts. If you have asthma, COPD, allergies, or any condition that affects your breathing. Listen to your body. There is absolutely no shame in protecting your health. Work will be there tomorrow. The errands can wait. Your health is worth far more than trying to prove that you can push through. Sometimes strength isn't found in pushing harder. Sometimes strength is found in knowing when to stop, knowing when to rest, and knowing when to put yourself first. Before I go, don't forget to visit my blog website and check out some of my latest blog posts. And keep an eye out because I've got several brand new podcast episodes dropping this weekend that I'm really excited to share with all of you. If you enjoyed today's episode, please share it with someone who might need to hear it, especially anyone living with asthma or another respiratory condition. And if you haven't already, I'd really appreciate it if you'd follow the podcast and leave a review. It helps more people discover the show and become part of our growing community. Thank you so much for spending part of your day with me. Until next time, take care of yourself, take care of each other, and remember, sometimes the bravest thing you can do isn't pushing through the storm. It's recognizing when it's safer to stay inside. Protect your peace, protect your health, and trust that tomorrow will bring another opportunity to move forward. I'm Velvet and this has been the Ask Velvet Podcast. I'll see you in the next episode.