Month: May 2021

Even Better

(photo by Kalen Emsley on Unsplash)

Each day of May, I present to you a different Healthy Habit. I hope that you get some good ideas to implement for yourself. I am choosing topics that are of interest to myself, as I plan to implement these into my daily living. As my parental chores wind down with the completion of their tax return (going in the mail tomorrow), I now have more free time for myself. After spending nearly every waking hour helping them for several years, it is a shock to my system that I’m left with no set agenda or plan for myself.  It’s time to get back on the horse, and re-create a new life, a new way of living; One that truly encompasses aspects that are deeply important to me.

In effect, I have a clean slate to build my life over. This will be a process. Slow and steady wins the race. When I saw that this Ultimate Blog Challenge was starting, I felt that this would be the perfect way to get started. First, I am beginning a new daily writing habit. And second, I’m putting down in words those healthy habit areas that I’d like to focus my time on.

During this new phase I plan to create a mission statement, a brief summary of my life focus. This process includes identifying my core values, and ensuring that my values line up with my beliefs. Then as future opportunities arise, I can ask myself if this new opportunity is in alignment with my mission statement.

Then I would like to create some long-term and short term goals within a variety of life categories (i.e., health, career, financial, hobbies, family, social, etc.). It is easy to spend a majority of our time on just a couple of life areas. And at times, that may be necessary. However, balance is a key aspect of maintaining health.

And from there, I will identify specific tasks associated with each goal. The specific tasks will get entered on my calendar. And I will identify due dates too. Dates can always be changed in the future. But having the due dates in my consciousness will help me move forward towards my goals, and reach them.

An overarching goal I have is to continually make improvements to my everyday moments. Thus, as I go through my daily tasks, (some long-time habits, and others brand new), I would like to ask myself a question…

“How can I make this moment even better?”

By asking myself this question often, I can use my creative side to make improvements. I can make tweaks to my daily processes, revamp them, or blow them up and start over.

Many of my daily habits have been done the same way for years. Are these habits truly necessary at this point in my life, or are they just being done because I have always done things that way? I want to know.

What defines a better moment? Of course that is different for everyone. But here are some examples: consistent growth, more efficiencies, making the task fun, establishing priorities, cultivating good habits, greater creativity, and investing in self.

How can I make this even better?

Perhaps I will start by creating a morning routine upon waking, as well as a nighttime routine before bed. For example, I’d like to make time for meditation, journaling, stretching, deep breathing, etc. Initially, I have two ideas on how to make time for each of these. Each morning I give myself a set timeframe (i.e., half hour, hour) and break down the tasks in ten minute increments. This way, in just a half hour I can complete my stretching , meditation, and journaling. Or, another method might be to do just one task each morning for a half hour, i.e.,  journal on Sunday and Wednesday, stretch on Monday and Thursday, meditate on Tuesday and Friday, etc. And with some creative time I may come up with other ways to fit in all the important tasks that I desire.

To summarize some points…

Be clear… create a vision.

Establish priorities.

Cultivate good habits.

Create a routine/structure.

What works for someone else, might not work for you, so pay attention to how you feel as you take action steps. And ask yourself…

How can I make this moment even better?

 

Mental Mindset

(photo by Alexandru Rotariu on Unsplash)

The mind likes to think. Left alone, our thoughts focus on all sorts of things, like our present situations, past memories, and possible future outcomes. Many of them may also be negative and repetitive. Pay attention to your thoughts. Be an active listener. Give yourself compassion through supportive self-talk.

Because society encourages thinking all of the time, many of us have not yet acquired the skills of moving beyond thinking into other realms of being. For example, if we pay attention to our body, we may find out what it is telling us through our body posture, physical sensations, and energy level.

It can certainly be a challenge to maintain a healthy mindset when in the midst of a challenging and stressful ordeal. I know this first-hand. During my long-term primary caregiver responsibilities with my parents, I had many stressful moments. And I was unable to maintain a healthy mindset, a lot. A lack of sleep, eating unhealthy foods to escape, and continual tasks under stressful situations produced a negative mindset that I was unable to shake. I knew all about the concept of “caring for the caregiver”, yet I was unable to implement these steps until late in the process, when professional caregivers came on the scene. It was a challenge to find a caregiver that was a fit for my mom. And when I did bring in an overnight caregiver for my dad, the caregiver was caught sleeping more than once. So, I continued the primary role.

In the perfect world, it would be ideal to implement healthy mental mindset habits when life is calm, in order to get good at it. Then when the challenges arise, we will be better able to adapt and continue with our self-care needs. Yet, most of us have stressful challenges on a regular basis. So the time to start is now, regardless of our life situation. It is necessary to care for ourselves as best we can when times are rough.

From my caregiver experiences, I have learned some lessons relating to mindset. As many things in life are out of our control, like parental health, I have found it helpful to stop being attached to the outcome. I still want a good outcome, of course. For me, I would like to identify my goals, and then simply focus my attention on the task at hand in front of me right now.

Affirmations work for me too. If a negative thought pops into my head, I try to combat that by consciously stating a positive affirmation over-and-over. I find that this temporarily stops the negative thought, and allows for the positive affirmation to slowly sink into my unconscious mind.

And as our mind and body are connected, exercise, nutrition, and sleep do make a difference in our ability to remain in a positive mindset.

By consciously changing our thoughts, we can over time, shift the energy in our body with beneficial results. Illness is really a sign that we are out of balance in some way and need to address a particular life situation, feeling, or thought. With practice, we can begin to recognize that we have more choices at our disposal about how to live, as opposed to responding to situations strictly due to a long-standing habit or automatic response.

What is one small step that you can implement to improve your mental mindset?

Small Steps

(photo by Lindsay Henwood on Unsplash)

Elevate your health and life one small step at a time. Taking action gradually over time provides the greatest likelihood that a new habit will stick. Literally select action steps that are too small to fail.

I may identify a goal to walk on a treadmill for twenty minutes every day. However, I never do it for any length of time. An example of a small step that is too small to fail might be to stand on the treadmill once a day at the same time, for a week, without turning it on. On the first day, stand for only five seconds. Then step off. Then each day, gradually increase the standing time. And on the eighth day, stand on the treadmill, turn it on, and walk for five seconds. Each subsequent day, increase the walking time. Voila, a new habit has formed.

However, if still unable to take action on these very small steps, then it may be worth investigating if that particular goal is really one that is truly desired. There may be times when you feel stuck and are not moving forward with a goal. It is possible that the pre-stated goal is not appropriate. Or something is getting in the way. Work towards exposing these barriers. Based on the barrier identified for a specific situation, you can uncover reasons for the barrier, lessen or remove the barrier, or realize a more appropriate path towards success.

Just as a small flow of river water can produce large channels in the earth over time, small action steps can produce the same effect in your life. Each time we create a new habit, a new channel is created in the brain. The longer we practice, the bigger the channel.

You may be ready, willing, and able to take on bigger action steps immediately, and succeed, if mentally and emotionally ready to take the leap. There also may be times when a big action step is necessary. The choice is yours.

 

Self Care

(photo by Kulli Kittus on Unsplash)

We live in a fast-paced environment where our attention gets pulled in different directions. It is no wonder that chronic stress, poor sleep, and nutrition deficiencies affect many of us. There are ways to achieve our own needs through effective healthy habits and changes. The results of these changes may not be noticed immediately. It is a process with ups and downs. In time, your future self will look back to your current self with appreciation. To get started, ask yourself the following questions.

Do I want health now or do I not want health now?

Do I choose health now, or do I not choose health now?

What action do I need to take or not take right now?

Explore daily practices that produce clarity of mind, a fit body, and uplifting spirit. Use food as medicine. Eat a variety of nutrients to help your body thrive, build a strong immune system, and achieve sustained energy. Exercise (approved by your physician), such as walking and yoga, provides cardiovascular health, strength, and flexibility. Also try deep breathing exercises to expand lung capacity and relax the mind. And journal. Write upon waking when the mind is clear, or before bed, as a transition towards sleep. Tap into your unconscious mind by writing without filtering or editing. Let the words flow from pen to paper.

You have a natural power to realize optimal health. Your body and unconscious mind sends signals when something is out of balance and requires attention. Learn how to sense these signals. Explore new ways of being, and create a vision for your optimal future. Begin this journey now by answering the above three questions.

I want health.

I choose health now.

I am taking action now.

Calm

(photo by Faye Cornish on Unsplash)

Today was a stressful day for me for a number of reasons. My stock trades did not go my way. I found a discrepancy on a tax form. There was a temporary, slow internet connection. It took a long time to get my printer to work properly. And it has been very noisy outside all day. Yet, here I am still standing at the end of the day, calmer now, after some uncalm moments earlier.

I admire individuals who can stay calm under pressure. Some individuals seem to be born with the calm under pressure gene, able to excel during chaotic moments. This is something I strive for, as I was not born with this gene.

Even those who are viewed as having a calm exterior still need to practice to become consistently good at handling pressure. With practice comes results, and ultimately confidence. So regardless of our personality, we can still improve in the area of remaining calm, even when challenges strike.

For me personally, I believe that my nervous system is more tightly wound up than others; meaning that my five (or six?) senses are more sensitive to the environment. My hearing is more sensitive to noise, for example. There is a small portion of the population that may have this type of nervous system. From a civilization view, it is important for some individuals to be on guard; to be on the lookout to protect others. Picture a group of Canadian geese in a field eating grass. There is always one goose not eating, with his head and neck at attention looking out for predators and people. Don’t get too close, or the goose will chase you and try and bite. So be careful, lol.

With a nervous system on heightened alert, it can certainly be a challenge to remain calm under most circumstances. Positive results can occur with practice, and with a determination to add healthy practices to your daily life. This will help lessen the nervous system attentiveness.

Here are a few practices that will benefit the nervous system, and thus, allow for being a little bit calmer.

DEEP BREATHING EXERCISES: These can be done anywhere. And no one will even notice that you’re doing them. Deep breathing can: calm down anxiety, increases energy level, and bring on better sleep.

One of Dr. Andrew Weil’s recommended deep breathing practices is called the 4-7-8 (or Relaxing Breathe) exercise:

  1. Exhale completely through your mouth making a whoosh sound.
  2. Close your mouth & inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of 4.
  3. Hold your breathe for a count of 7.
  4. Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to 8.
  5. This is one breath. Now inhale again and repeat the cycle three more times for a total of four breaths.

MINDFULNESS: “By giving your full attention to this moment, an intelligence far greater than the egoic mind enters your life.”                              – Eckhart Tolle

Mindfulness can be practiced informally and formally.

Informally: Find mindful moments in everyday tasks. Pick a task, such as washing dishes, and focus your complete attention on the task as though it was the first time you were doing it. Use your five senses to truly be in the moment.

Formally: Brace yourself. I’m going to use the ‘M’ word… Meditation. Build your meditation muscles slowly and in very small time increments. Pick one time each day, preferably first thing in the morning before your mind gets on the thinking bandwagon. Set a timeframe, such as ten seconds, for example, to sit or lie down. Start by focusing your attention on your breathing, perhaps at your nostrils. Thoughts will naturally pop into your mind at random times. When they do, acknowledge the thought, and then bring your attention back to your breathing. In upcoming days or weeks, based on your comfort level, slowly and incrementally increase the ten second timeframe.

DOWN TIME: Research has found that taking breaks can improve your mood, boost your performance, and increase your ability to concentrate and pay attention. Give your mind a chance to pause and refresh, to keep it working efficiently.

“To be calm is the highest achievement of the self.” – Zen proverb

What is one small step that you can do to be a little calmer, now?