Do you ever watch an antique car go past you on the road? You seem to notice it at a distance because usually it is all shined up. You pay attention as it gets closer and you notice details on it that you don’t notice on modern cars around you. Most of us will, even if you are not a car person, admire the work that has obviously been put into restoring that car to its former glory.
Do you ever notice people gardens when they are in full bloom? The bushes trimmed just so, the gardens are manicured. The grass is just the perfect shade of green. Just the right balance of trees, shrubs, and flowers. Even if you are not a gardener, you can see the work that has been put into this yard.
Do you ever notice someone who is in great shape? You see muscles in all sorts of places. You watch them as they ride their bike past you or they run past you. You don’t see anything jiggling and they don’t seem out of breath. Do you admire them, or are you critical of those athletic people?
It's funny how can admire work on some things but if its work on ourselves, we tend to get critical. Well, I am here to tell you that we need to start spending time taking care of ourselves, our own bodies and minds, the way we would our cars, gardens, kids, crafts, or projects.
We need to realize that we only get one body to use so let’s start taking care of it.
- First, put healthy fuel into it. You wouldn’t put the cheapest gas into a Ferrari, but we don’t think twice about junk food into our engine. Start fueling your body with food that makes it run more efficiently.
- Next, work your muscles. Get off of the couch, step away from the computer, put down the phone, and get physical. Walk, run, swim, play tennis, frisbee golf, something anything. Just work up a sweat and move your body.
- Treat your body with care and recovery. If you are working hard, then relax with the same effort. Learn to nap, take vacations, rest your mind and body, chillax.
- Pamper your body. Go for a massage, either therapeutic or the gentle kind. This is how your body relaxes and starts to heal.
- Do something that makes you feel special. Go for a manicure, and/or a pedicure. Get your hair done, with a shampoo and massage. Guys can now go for an old fashioned shave with hot clothes.
- Have the occasional mental health day. Your mind needs the same chance to rest as the muscles. When we get too stressed, we need to make sure we let the mind calm down too.
- Spend time learning how to make your body run more efficiently. That may mean finding a chiropractor. It may mean a physiotherapist. It may mean a counselor.
- Treat your relationships with care. If you are cranky to the people in your world, you will start to lose your support system. When you support system fails and you have a need for them, they may not be there for you.
- Learn to laugh. The best medicine to relax with is a really good belly laugh that makes your sides hurt. We are too serious most of the time.
- Find some time to read. It really doesn’t matter if you are reading to improve yourself or just to escape, reading expands the mind either way.
We only get one chance at life, so you might as well make your body work to the best of its abilities. It will run longer if you take care of it, and it won't break down as often and when it does, it will heal itself quicker.
Love yourself. It is important to stay positive because beauty comes from the inside out. – Jenn Proske
