How to live well in 2012
It’s nearly a new year again. Here are my wishes for you:
Start small. It’s okay; really, it is.
Believe yourself. You have a Ph.D in you.
Caring for you is responsible, not selfish.
Figure how to make what you need to do more fun. Seriousness is overrated
Keep active. A body in motion remains in motion.
That hint of an answer? It’s your answer.
Too much stuff – or things to do – is too much. Delegate. Eliminate.
Skip feeling responsible for it all.
Nature figured out healing long before us. Trust that wisdom.
Hug someone. We all are in need of a little extra care.
You’ll feel better; the person will feel better.
Perfect circle.
Learning is your own journey
“You cannot teach a man anything;
you can only help him find it within himself.”
~ Galileo
Please, put on your oxygen mask
Holiday season — you don’t have any time, I know. I get it. So I’m making this brief. Just give me one minute, ‘kay?
In the midst of holiday stress — whether that’s the good kind of stress or bad — you have to — absolutely HAVE to — create time to care for you. It has to be on your list … and not last. And not pushed off, day after day, until tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow.
In short, remember this sentence as you fly through your days — please, put on YOUR oxygen mask.
Many of us, mostly women, would put the oxygen mask on our kids, our spouses or partners, our families, our friends and, heck, even the nice person we met standing in line — all while we were running out of air ourselves.
When you are out of air, you can no longer do any good for anyone. When you’re out of air, your health is headed straight downhill. When you’re out of air, you’re going to have to fill back up before you even get back to today, let alone your dreams for tomorrow.
Don’t have time, you say? If you’re laid out with an illness, are you going to have time then? Are the stars going to align somehow so that everything else manages while you lay in bed? Probably, and you know what? That can happen easier if you plan to use this time to be well than if you have to react to time to be unwell.
So, please, before you crash and burn, put on YOUR oxygen mask.
What small difference can you make today?
“We must not,
in trying to think about how we can make a big difference,
ignore the small daily difference we can make which, over time,
add up to big differences that we often cannot foresee.”
~ Marian Wright Edelman
And a child can lead you to be well
It’s holiday time, and one of the most magical parts is watching an excited, happy kid. I always felt that Christmas was designed for children. I loved watching my kids get up (even after my limited sleep sneaking out the presents and such!) and discover their presents under the tree, go through their stockings, be surprised and have lots of fun.
A healthy, happy kid – pure joy. So, the thought came to me: Do you want the Cliffs’ Notes version of how to be happy and whole? Go imitate a happy, healthy kid for a while!
When they’re happy, they’re HAPPY! If something gets them down, they cry for a bit, but they recover fast. If they’re sleepy, they curl up and nap. If they’re hungry, they search out food. If they’re not hungry, they stop eating. They run around. They shout for joy. They play. They laugh. They really, really live life.
And, yes, as an aside, I know this isn’t truth for every child on our planet. My holiday wish would be that every kid could enjoy health and happiness and pure love. Thankfully, many do. To the the rest, I send them courage and warmth and the will to go on to hopefully find all this later in life.
So, back to a generally happy, healthy, whole kid. All kid, all the time! If you have one (or two or three or …) in your life, observe. Enjoy! Play with them. Learn. Try that persona on as an adult.
Feel free to be over-the-top joyously happy instead of a solemn, well-behaved, disciplined adult.
If you’re sad, express it. Don’t slip it under the rug with all the other problems that soon will crop up as health issues.
When you’re tired, please sleep. Just 15 minutes will restore some of your well being. Even sitting down and resting quietly will help. (And breathe some, too.)
Take care of yourself.
Treat yourself gently.
Respect what you need.
Don’t put yourself last. It isn’t selfish to care for yourself like you’d care for a loved child. It’s needed so you can remain well and continue giving back to those around you.
Don’t put this off until you have “time.” The time is now.
