Many are sighing with relief that we are on the brink of a new year, a fresh start…an end to 2018. It’s a great time to evaluate the past and make plans for a change. Change is good.
A few weeks ago I wrote January may be a good time for A Daniel Fast, to learn more about eating for your bloodtype, jump aboard the Trim Healthy Mama craze or be one of the few brave ones to try the not-for-the-weak-of-heart 10 day Master’s Cleanse. Let me know how that one goes.
Here are a few goals that aren’t nutrition related but I’m certain will impact your overall health nonetheless.
- Clean out the clutter or extra. Give what you don’t need to someone who does. Less is way more.
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Leave margins in your schedule and your life. If you picture a piece of lined school paper you’ll remember that nice squared off area around the perimeter. We weren’t allowed to write anything there! Many times we have our day planned out yet quickly realize an hour or the entire day needs to go a different direction. Go with the flow. The margin can be for a friend who needs to talk, an errand for your spouse or just some quiet time for you.
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Stay active! Research shows that walking just a few times a week can have a positive effect on your health. If you can walk outdoors you are not only raising your heart rate but getting free Vitamin D from the sun, breathing fresh air and spending time in nature which can help boost your mood.
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Write it down. Everything…your goals, to-do lists, grocery list, honey-do list, bucket list etc. Something happens between our hand and brain when we pen something, not to mention how great it feels to mark things off those lists! And, I’m not talking about lists on your phone. (I use good old fashioned school paper WITH margins!) Too much technology is absolutely NOT a good thing.
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Get out of your comfort zone. This is easier for some personality types than it is for others but important for everyone! Learn something new. Take a dance, cooking or art class, visit with a stranger, explore a new place…the wonderful possibilities are endless. Keeping your mind active is vital for overall health.
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Take care of yourself. I understand, from being a homeschool mom, how easy it is to think of everyone BUT ourselves. But, it’s not healthy. Give yourself permission to have a hobby or do whatever it is that makes you feel alive. Don’t forget your vitamins, rest and everything you suggest for others (yes, I am talking to myself too!)
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Think positive! We become what we think. Speak positive! In Matthew 15:18 the scripture says, “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.” Words are so very powerful. They lead our life and the lives of others. What you say brings life or death. Choose life.
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Emotions are a big part of who we are. It is important to let ourselves feel them…even the hard ones. When we embrace our feelings and deal with them I have learned they can no longer control us. Forgiveness is something we need to give others AND ourselves. Believe it or not, forgiveness is more for the giver than the recipient. Bitterness not dealt with can cause big problems in one’s life, even disease. Find a trusted friend or counselor, write your feelings down…however you feel most comfortable in dealing with this facet of you.
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Make boundaries with people. It’s okay to say, “No” sometimes. You do NOT have to do it all. Do you have a toxic person in your life? Some boundaries may need to be drawn to protect yourself. I know it is hard and tough to do but you matter too much!
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Be grateful. We have a plaque from my husband’s grandmother that reads: “Gratitude can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home and a stranger into a friend.” Amen.
Here’s to our best year yet! Brooke DeLong, N.D.
