High-5 for Healthy Living

be creativeHave you ever had one of those Sundays where you look back and can’t remember anything of note? I sure have, especially when working and having to do similar tasks over and over. I guess the mind gives us a little amnesia to gloss over the state of our lives. In order to combat ennui and bland days I inject creative adrenaline shots to my frontal lobe. I must have projects going that engage my brain and hands. These include: crochet, collage, sketching, painting and photography. Whatever your creative outlet is – make sure your brain is plugged in and charged up, life’s brighter that way.

good sleep

What with global warming and our nights being too warm, in order to sleep I find I need a fan going as well as a change over from comforter to a crocheted blanket. Like many folks I keep anxiety and stress as my bedfellows, I don’t need clammy sheets as well. I used to be able to sleep under all sorts of conditions – barracks, dorms, ground-floor apartments, desert tents, and now in suburbia it’s tough to get to sleep before 1 a.m. To create a healthier state of mind I’ve learned to accept shorter rest hours and adjust to less energy in the afternoons. What else is a girl to do, right?

 

running sketch

In order to make my yo-yo self more of a healthy and consistent running chick I now keep a running journal, calendar and sketchbook. I like to have my running dates noted and visible, it keeps me enthusiastic and it helps me approach running in a more positive light. I especially love the sketchbook as it forces me to notice route-details so as to have something to draw later on, thus keeping me mindful of my surroundings.

 

monkey mind

But as for bad habits, man are they a pain in the butt! Like getting mad at bad drivers, letting their slip-ups affect my commute, whilst not being an angel myself, sigh. Or letting the fallout from a bad day convince me that nothing matters, what’s the point of it all, double sigh. How to rally from regrettable episodes? To combat negative chatter from my monkey-mind and lead thoughts in a more healthy direction I have to acknowledge bad behavior, take responsibility and always – always hope to do better next time!

 

haiku dogMy last tip for keeping healthy in this mad crazy world is to de-clutter and organize every nook and cranny in your space. And whatever you don’t want to tackle, that’s the first thing you deal with. The payout for wrestling with dusty and musty clutter is to have the weight of it removed from your mind. Only keep what you love and share-out what you don’t with unburdened peeps.

 

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