Being Me: Week 6 (Take care of your body)

"Be willing to do things differently"

Being Me: Week 6 - Take care of your body

February theme - Before anything else, find yourself, be yourself and love yourself

There are many simple ways to be mindful and taking care of your body is one of them. Mindfulness begins with our choices, like choosing more vegetables over the sugary sweets, a healthy water habit to replace soda, no snacking after 6pm, or trading a bad habit for a good one.

Instead of food for comfort, a brisk walk can do wonders. The crisp air awakens your senses, and with the shorter days and cold temps here in the northern states, it aids to stifle those winter blues. Those extra endorphins released during exercise can pick up your mood, and anyone who does this knows there is never a walk or run that you'll regret.

Another option for mindfulness and taking care of our body is meditation. Meditation brings us to the present. Recognizing you are here now and not in the past or the future. The quieter you become, the more you can hear. Even 5 minutes a day can make a difference, and there are many apps that can assist you like Calm, Headspace and the most popular free app, Insight timer.

And lastly, do something for your soul. Something that fills you up, where you get lost in play. I know writing can do that for me, or creative scrapbooking or journaling. Discover the things that fill you up making you lose track of time and plan  to fit them in your day.

Finding balance and creating a block of time dedicated to yourself is important. Start by waking earlier, using social media less or search for an area in your life to remove a mindless habit for a mindful one. I wake early to write, read and exercise, along with periodically reviewing my goals to keep me on track, small doable actions.

With less distractions, like facebook or other social media, I have  been more focused, uncovering more time to do the things I never thought I had time for. 

 Themes for each month to journal, create or contemplate on your journey

• January - The best time for new beginnings is now

1. Morning routine
2. Mission statement
3. Create your YES list
4. Goals, baby steps, tiny promises
5. Putting it in motion

• February - Before anything else, find yourself, be yourself and love yourself

1. Take care of your body

• March - All you need is tea and warm socks
• April - Water your roots so your soul can blossom
• May -  The difference between a flower and a weed is judgment
• June - Believe you can and your halfway there
• July - Bold stripes, bright stars, brave hearts
• August - We are who we choose to be
• September - Sometimes we can learn and study & know, and sometimes we have to believe, trust and hope
• October - We can't become what we want by remaining what we are
• November - Small seeds of gratitude will provide a harvest of hope
• December - Unexpected kindness is the most powerful, least costly, and most underrated agent of hope

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