Taking good care of yourself is essential to happily thriving. That’s because when you are tired, lacking energy, or can’t think clearly, it is more difficult to enjoy life as it happens and to make the choices that lead to a better life.
There are several aspects to good self-care.
Sleep. This is not only important for your health; it significantly impacts your effectiveness. You have to be able to think clearly to see possibilities and appreciate the humor in life. Also, it takes a fair amount of energy to make good choices and exert the discipline required to follow through on those choices. Those things are very difficult to do if you are too tired to focus on anything besides putting one foot in front of the other. How much is sleep is enough? It varies for each individual, but you need to be rested enough that you can think clearly without so much caffeine that it makes you jittery or anxious.
Rest & Relaxation. This is not the same as sleep and how it looks will vary by individual. Many people watch TV to relax. Others watch movies or go to dinner with good friends, or read books, or go for a walk. The important criteria for this are that you enjoy it; that it shifts the focus of your mind from whatever occupies it when you aren’t relaxing; and that you consciously choose it as a way to relax, rather than just doing it out of habit. The big benefit of this is that it allows you to step off the treadmill for a while so that when you step back on, you will have more energy and a fresh perspective. It is also important to take this time before you crash and burn. Otherwise, you will end up grumpy and unhappy and will need much more time to recover than you would have if you’d just made time to rest in the first place.
Exercise. It is important to get enough physical activity to keep your joints “oiled” and your muscles strong. This helps minimize the likelihood of future pain and injury, increases blood flow to the brain, and gives you more energy than it takes away. Besides all of that, it makes you feel good! That’s true even if you don’t exercise to the point of experiencing the famous endorphins. There is no better feeling than knowing that you can lift that heavy widget, walk/run that distance, or just be fit enough to avoid falling when you trip over something.
Diet. Eating right is critical too - in terms of both quality and quantity. Don’t eat so much at any one meal that it makes you miserable. Don’t put off eating until you’re starving because that makes it harder to make good food choices. Eat more healthy foods than unhealthy foods. Believe it or not, the main reason for eating is to provide nourishment for your body. Consuming lots of fats or sugars kind of defeats that purpose!
If you are overweight, work to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. That’s important because extra weight can lead to health issues and back and joint pain. Imagine carrying around a 10-lb bag of kitty litter all day long. That is what 10 extra pounds feels like to your knees.
Drinking right is just as important as eating right.
Although recent studies have shown that alcohol in moderation has certain health benefits, I think it is fair to say that you can’t consume too little alcohol. On the other hand, too much alcohol will dull your senses and thus reduce the amount of joy you are able to experience while under its influence. It also has an adverse impact on the quality of your sleep. How can you tell if you are drinking too much? If you drink to the point that you don’t trust yourself to send a thoughtful work or personal email or to discuss an important issue with a child or needy friend, you are drinking too much. You can imagine what this could do to the relationships that are important to you – regardless of whether you take those actions while under the influence or put them off until you’re not. Even if you are a closet drinker, and only do it when it doesn’t affect anyone else, it still has an impact on you. All of the time you spend in an alcoholic fog is time that you are wasting your life instead of actually living it. Besides all of that, there are the leftover effects of drinking too much. It is very difficult to start your day out right when you wake up with a hangover and/or feelings of guilt or regret.
You also need to be careful about how much caffeine and/or energy drinks you consume. Too much of either of these can leave you feeling anxious and jittery; and adversely impact your ability to sleep. Another reason to avoid too much caffeine is that you are more likely to be irritable when it wears off.
Water, on the other hand, is one of those beverages that is actually good for you! It is recommended that most adults drink between 9 and 13 cups of water a day, spread throughout the day. If you are not currently drinking that much, I recommend that you up your game right away. At the very least, it will make it easier for your kidneys to do their job and reduce the likelihood of bladder and prostrate infections. It is also good for your skin and other organs and helps make up for the bad stuff you eat and drink every day.
I know how hard it is to make time for sleep and exercise and how much more fun it is to eat junk food instead of vegetables and fruit. I also know how easy it is to justify that second (or third) glass of wine after a hard day. However, the kind of happiness you get from taking care of yourself is more authentic and long-lasting than the kind you get when you make other choices. Trust me, it’s well worth the effort.
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