Michael

One ought every day at least, to hear a little song, read a good poem, see a fine picture, and, if it were possible, to speak a few reasonable words. – Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

I can’t stress enough how important it is to do little things for yourself. Most of us spend a lot of time doing for others, performing chores, running errands or simply getting wrapped up in “life.” It is really detrimental to our well-being when we don’t give back to ourselves.

It could be any number of things: taking a walk, spending 15 minutes reading a favorite book, getting a massage once a month, going to your favorite restaurant, taking a swim, enjoying that special hobby, writing, a little shopping, watching a movie, enjoying a T.V. show, having a girls night out, going out with the guys, fishing, boating, drawing, painting, working in the garden, taking a drive to anywhere, sleeping in an extra hour on the weekend or really just about anything you can come up with.

The important part is giving to yourself. It will do wonders for your attitude, increase your level of happiness, renew your hope, put some fun back into your life and boost your energy level. But, most importantly, it is how you tell yourself that you are okay with who you are, that you are someone that can be loved and that you deserve the best.

Take that first step. What can you do for yourself today?

Michael

I had a long travel day yesterday which was the culmination of a long, busy week. Lots of great things happened but I found my self quite tired today. I slept a solid seven hours but my body declared that was not enough. I tried coffee to rev things up. It had absolutely no effect.

I realized I was not listening to my body. How often do we do that? I think it is a common occurrence in our fast paced world where everyone is expected to go, go, go. When we push ourselves all the time without rest, it eventually catches up with us.

Today, I decided to listen. I took it easy and didn’t do anything I had planned to do. It was a day of rest and relaxation. My mind was fighting doing nothing the entire time. Listening to what we need, can be difficult if you’ve never done it before. It’s a subtle “voice” amidst the cacophony of mental thoughts that are our minds at times.

As we go through our busy lives, it’s vital that we take time for ourselves. Just start listening to that inner voice. As you become attuned to it, you’ll find that you hear it more often.

Have a great day!

Michael

The hardest part about exercise is getting started. The Diet Blog offers 10 great ideas to help you get your exercise program in first gear. There are three that I use regularly as excuses to not begin.

Boredom is a primary reason for me not to exercise. I find it difficult to do certain exercises because of the tedious, repetitive nature of them; i.e. running, riding a stationary bike, etc. For others, these may be perfectly fine. So, I ride my bicycle outside generally. I also like to do exercises that make me think; for example martial arts, step aerobics, etc. In other words, anything that requires me to use my mind.

I also had the all or nothing attitude about exercise. This is a great idea from the Diet Blog; “Five minutes of walking is better than five minutes on the couch.” Any exercise is better than nothing. So, now I walk three times a week for 20 minutes at lunch. Even though it is only about a mile, I feel much better after.

The time of day is another big road block for starting exercise. I know that I usually cannot exercise in the morning. I’m just not ready for that. The late afternoon is better for me. Pick a time of day that works for you. If you force yourself to exercise at another time, it simply won’t last.

I’m slowly making exercise a part of my daily life. I’m working to create a positive habit by doing a little bit every day.

Have a great day!

Michael