MIND
Take a hike. No really take a hike lol. Being in nature always relaxes me. I don’t get to do it much, but I really enjoy it when I do. Life is full of hustle and bustle these days and it’s important to take time out to slow it down. Step out the car, put down the cell phone and step awaaaay from the Starbucks.
Read. It’s relaxing. Reading is a good way to wind down after a long day and supposedly it’s even better if you sip some tea while you’re at it. This isn’t a scientific fact, just some friends talking…in case you were looking for statistics or something.
Quiet time. Take time to reflect, to unwind, to give thanks, to appreciate, to just be. Never underestimate the power of some quality QT.
Take a trip. Go somewhere you’ve never been and do something you’ve never done. Happiness and a little excitement is good for you. Make awesome memories.
Get crafty. Arts & crafts are said to be a good way to relax and relieve stress. They use them in therapy for people in all walks of life and situations. I just recently watched a news special about how art is being used to help military vets with post traumatic stress disorder in the DC area. You don’t have to be an expert…just give it a try. You’d be surprised.
Reduce, Reuse, Restore. This piece of wisdom is not just for recyclables folks lol. Reduce>> Remove people, things etc. that infringe on your happiness and peace of mind. If it’s impossible because they're coworkers…or perhaps people in your household, work on yourself and how you react to the them. You are the only variable you can control. Reuse>> Use has such a negative connotation lol. Spend more time with the people who are worthy of your time. Restore>> Forgive and forgive again!!! At the end of the day, forgiveness is all about you and your peace. Holding grudges isn't good for your health. Yes, it is necessary to sever ties with some people, but you still don't have to carry bitterness, resentment or hate.
BODY
Detox. Get rid of toxins in your body. There are tons of ways to do this and you can find all of them somewhere on the internet. One way I’ve learned of, considered, but never tried was an Epsom salt bath. For this cleansing bath, you would pour in two cups of Epsom salt, two cups of baking soda, and a few drops of lavender or arnica oil. Then, you soak until the water gets cold, but not longer than 30 minutes. It's recommended that you do this once or twice a week. This bath draws out toxins and helps your digestive system to function more efficiently. Again, there are so many ways to rid your body of toxins...google it.
Diet. There’s no coincidence that so many people are dying from all kinds of diseases or that the young are now suffering from diseases that used to be associated only with adults. It's important to watch what you eat. They're putting all kinds of crap in the food these days. I don’t really have any rigorous guidelines, but I do try to make sure most of what I eat are whole foods…fruits and veggies, nuts, grains. I don’t eat pork or drink sodas and I pay attention to my body's pH balance. And I’m a juicer!!! My blend usually consists of carrots, apples, cucumber, and spinach. Sounds gross…but I like it lol.
Drink water. We’ve all heard how important drinking water is. I don’t think I need to go in too much detail, but here are some benefits in case you need motivation. 1)Healthier skin and look younger. 2)Helps with digestion. 3)Less likely to get sick. 4)Reduces your risk of cancer. 5)Less likely to get sick. Our bodies are made of mostly water, so it's a good idea to replenish.
Exercise. Another important one. When I actually do exercise, I have more energy and I just feel better all-around, but I suck at sticking to routines so it's normally an on and off thing lol. Some simple ways to get exercise in are to walk to your destination when you can and take the steps instead of the escalator or elevator. According to Dr. Oz and the show he did for lazy girls, squatting when you pee can help burn extra calories throughout the day lol.
Laugh more!!! "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." (Prov 17:22) So saith the Lord!! There is a lot of research out there linking happiness to good health. I've even come across research that states laughter can cure cancer...and jumping on trampolines. That's what they said. Don't look at me funny lol. But we all know stress kills so it would be in your best interest to chuckle. I probably laugh too much. I might never die. You see all these lols. They're real lol.
SPIRIT
Read the Word. There’s nothing that it doesn’t answer for me. I love the Word and I love what the Word is doing for my life. I had a Bible for a long time, I just never actually read it. Going to church is important but I don't think you should substitute that for reading the Bible for yourself. Pick it up.
Surround yourself with more edifying things. Garbage in, garbage out the saying goes and it's true. I know sometimes we like to think we're strong and we can remain unaffected by our environment but we do pick up habits from things or people we spend a lot of time with. There's a verse for that!lol "Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm." (Prov. 13:20)
Pray more. Have conversations with God. Don’t just talk to Him when you need something. Now yooooou know how you feel when someone only calls you when they want to borrow something or need a favor lol. God has feelings too.
Be a better giver. Giving blesses others AND you...it's a win-win. Remember when I told you how I give so much more, but now I have so much more?...probably not lol but let me be the one to tell you this is real! And guess what...there's a verse for that! "One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed." (Prov. 11:24-25)
Be a better lover. Why not? All we need is love. You can't go wrong with it and that's God's most important command to us...loving Him, loving ourselves, and loving others.
Got any other good tips??
No comments:
Post a Comment