Empower Yourself: Attract a Happy, Healthy Life
Posted: Thursday, March 12, 2009
by Diana Fletcher
http://dianafletcher.com
You want it all. You want to look great, feel great, be great--and why not? That would be wonderful! But when you don't feel good or accomplish everything you set out to do, it's discouraging and stress-inducing.
I believe we have reached a saturation point. We live in a busy world where things move very quickly. In our multi-tasking madness, we have exhausted ourselves. The time has come to slow down. We have to stop the constant moving, doing, and striving to be everything to everyone. We need to stop giving attention to everything and everyone that demands it.
It is time to create space in our lives for what is truly important. We have so much to do, and we want to do so much, it is inevitable that all of it won't get done. So let's stop driving ourselves crazy, and focus on what is truly of significance.
The most important step in your journey toward living a happy life lies in taking care of your health. It doesn't matter how much money you have because without good health, you cannot enjoy yourself or take care of the people and things that are most important to you.
We are meant to live happy, healthy lives. Take a few seconds to visualize that. You are meant to move easily and breathe easily. You are meant to nourish yourself with healthy foods and healthy activities. You are meant to feel good and rested and healthy every day. And no matter where you are on the continuum, you can get started today on living a happy, healthier life. Empower yourself. Take control. Make the decision that you are important and from now on, you are going to take care of yourself and your health before anything else. Your life and those lives you touch everyday will benefit from your good health.
We have been in a "hurry-up" mode for so long that it is difficult for many people to figure out how to slow down. One great way to begin is to look at how you spend your days. Honestly look at how you spend each minute of every day. Often we have developed habits that no longer have any purpose. Look at your activities and ask yourself, does this activity benefit me anymore? Does this benefit anyone else? If you are honest with yourself, you will discover many of these things are unnecessary or could be done by someone else. Eliminating just a few of these unnecessary activities can create extra space in your day. The purpose of this is not to immediately fill those moments with more work. The purpose is to create space to take care of your health. Once you have eliminated time wasters, you can use the following actions to create a life of good health and joy.
- One of the keys to good health is getting enough sleep. It is possible to make this a priority. Turn off the television set. Leave the work. It can wait. Not getting enough sleep can affect our decision making, our moods, our creative thinking, and even make us weigh more. Studies have shown that lack of sleep decreases regulation of hormones that control our appetites. Think of times you have felt unusually hungry, and craved carbohydrates after a night of too little sleep. Set a reasonable bedtime and stick to it. Your reward will be fresher thinking, fresher skin, and more energy.
- Take the time to drink plenty of water. This action is so simple yet so important. Keep hydrated to flush out toxins, have healthier looking skin, and boost your metabolic rate. Often we mistake thirst for hunger, so drinking enough water can help you control the amount you eat.
- Take a good multivitamin. Along with the water and the right amount of sleep, you will be amazed at the change in your energy levels.
- Every hour, no matter what you are doing, take a few moments to stand up, stretch, and move around. We were not meant to sit at desks and computers or anywhere else for long periods of time. Stretch, move, breathe.
- Every day show gratitude. Saying thank you is a de-stressor that makes you feel good. Negative thoughts cause stress. It is hard to have negative thoughts and thoughts of gratitude in our mind simultaneously.
- Make time for friends. Healthy relationships help us stay healthy. This does not mean you have to accept every invitation that comes this time of year. Give yourself time to think about your response to the invitation. Is this something you truly want to do? Will you regret giving up sleep or time with your family or spouse? Sometimes, holiday gatherings are not where we truly want to be. We overindulge in food and drink, then chastise ourselves the next day for the extra calories we consumed and the fatigue we feel.
How you spend the minutes of each day add up to how you spend your life. The way you live your life and the choices you make determine how healthy and strong you will be. Are you making choices that strengthen you or weaken you? If you are making the choices that are making you happy and healthy, that is fantastic, and I say, keep up the good work! If not, you have the power to choose a different way. A happy, healthy way.
How do you truly want to live your life?
Diana Fletcher©2009
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