Make Your Health A Priority
In January, I encouraged you to take time to embrace the slow pace of the winter months and use it to make a plan for the rest of the year. Now that it is February, I hope you are recharged and ready with a plan! This month, I want to focus on taking care of yourself.
At the end of January, my dad had a heart attack. And while you know your parents won’t live forever, you most likely ignore that fact (why would you want to think about something that upsetting?). My dad survived but his life has completely changed. With this in mind and my birthday this month, I need to stop looking at my health as a luxury and start acting like my life depends on it (because, well, it does).
As a mom and business owner, I know making time to take care of myself is on the bottom of my list (is it even on the list?). There is no free time for where i can squeeze in a workout, my diet is defined by “quick and easy”, and life is constantly in fast forward which sometimes I have to take a second to remind myself to breathe! But if I don’t MAKE room in my schedule to take care of my health, I will end up at risk for a heart attack too. This is important and needs to be a priority.
Here are somethings that you can do to start taking better care of your health. I intend to incorporate all of them (but not all at once – let’s not get crazy!).
- Exercise – obvious, yes. This does not mean it has to be hardcore training and it shouldn’t be something you dread. My goal is 30 minutes of intentional moving. If you haven’t exercised in awhile start with some basics: push-ups, planks, squats, jumping jacks. There are a ton of resources on the internet for ideas. If you want to be around other people try a class at your local Y or gym – this can help you commit to working out. If you want the gym experience at home try Beachbody or Dailyburn where you can stream workouts on you TV or computer. The best (in my opinion) is taking a walk. Go alone and listen to an upbeat playlist or inspiring podcast or ask a friend to go with you and catch up!
- Choose Healthier Meals. This one is hard. It requires some planning ahead and I often fall short when it comes to meal planning. When you grocery shop make sure to load up on fruits and veggies that can be quick and easy to grab when you are hungry. Make salads ahead of time to take for lunch. Drink more water. Choose fish or chicken for dinner and fill your plate with veggies and brown rice. Get creative with seasonings and add-ins to make sure your meals aren’t boring. And every once in awhile, remember to treat yourself. Strict limitations are often what leads to binge eating and giving up on a healthier diet. Eating healthier isn’t a short term diet but a lifestyle change. It should be healthy and enjoyable!
- Stress Less. This will be different for everyone. Exercise will help reduce stress but there are a lot of stress triggers that we are exposed to everyday. Use what you can control to prevent stress and practice healthy ways to handle stress that you cannot control. Turn the places that you frequent into calming spaces. I explain what I mean in this previous post, “Creating a Space of Purpose & Peace“. Start a hobby that you enjoy. Make time to hangout with friends. Take time to yourself. Listen to upbeat music. Take a bath. Read.
- Get on a sleep schedule. Getting enough sleep has a positive effect on all of the above. Getting on a sleep schedule helps to ensure you get a good nights rest. When we get in a routine our bodies and minds go into auto-pilot preparing for what it knows is going to happen. Having a routine and schedule for bedtime helps your mind and body know that it is time to calm down and rest. This will help you fall asleep faster and have a more restful sleep.
If you find yourself, like me, needing to prioritize your health, I hope the suggestions above help you start that process.
