Taking Care of Yourself | Five Steps to Self Preservation

It seems that the easiest thing to disregard in our day to day lives is too often ourselves. We become infatuated with what’s going on around us and not inside of us, letting external interference ruin our internal affairs. With summer showing no mercy (as usual), it’s important to take the time to realize that we are our star players; and like any good coach, it’s our responsibility to ensure our own safety, sanity and happiness. Five steps. That’s less than what most of us have to walk from our cars to our front doors (it’s less than A.A., too). It can be counted on one hand and, in this case, can save us from self – destruction as well. If you have time to read this article, you owe it to yourself to give these tips a try.

1)    Find Your Happy Place. Someone once told me that when the going gets grim, the grim gets going. Although that’s true, in a sad sadistic sense, you’re not Tuesday Addams darling, get out of your gloom before it becomes your tomb. Taking a moment of seconds to detach from volatile situations to find peace in a thought, a breathing pattern or a mantra is the difference between a build-up and a break down. Next time when you’re in the best of moods, simply envision a world made only of positivity in your head. No “I can’t’s”, or “there’s not”, just what is and what you want it to be. There are no rules, no boundaries, just you and your calm. And when the going gets grim, go there instead.

2)    Meditation: It isn’t just for the hippy-dippy. At the end of the day, I can end up just totally wacky, because I’ve made mountains out of molehills. With meditation, I can keep them as molehills. How often do you spend on Instagram? Candy Crush? Creeping on pictures of your ex and their cats and their friends and their cats? Probably a lot. Take 5 minutes out of each of those activities, just 15 minutes a day, to just breathe. Think of the possibilities of the days ahead and not of the trials of yesterday. When you find your mind wandering, be your own stability (ex: Inhale the possibilities, exhale the doubt. Inhale the gift of breath, exhale the hold of greed.) Stretch and appreciate each second and the sure relief after. This is great for after a grueling work out, a long day of work and any chance you get in between.

3)    Mind games: You don’t need them, by the way. I promise you, more than half of the time, things are a lot worse in your head then they are in real life. Be realistic yet receptive. Steer clear of speaking down on others and especially from those who speak down on and around you. Find positivity in negatives, learn lessons, not regret. And if you so desperately need something to do, try Luminosity.com instead of running your mouth. They offer a range of apps on both Apple and Android servers that are proven with just a few minutes a day to increase brain activity, concentration and all over mental wellness. Our brains can absorb 10 megabytes of information a second into our temporary memory bank; I suggest spending that time on mind expiation and not Facebook browsing.

4)    Water yourself, flower-child! What is one part of the air we breathe? WATER. What do plants need to grow? WATER. What do you need to live? PLANTS. AND WATER. What’s the difference between going to work tomorrow with a smile on your face after a dope night out and going to work tomorrow hating your life with a hangover? WATER. Sodas, (most) teas and juices can’t even be called substitutes for the natural goodness that is H20. Flavor friendly remedies, like coconut juice with natural electrolytes and vitamins like potassium are always nice, but there’s nothing like slicing up your favorite fruits and herbs and adding them to a pitcher of ice water to soak overnight, giving you a taste that Crystal Light could only dream of. But in the end, your best bet is to get over your sweet tooth and get down to what’s under the ground. Drink water that’s mineralized, pure water may be void of magnesium, calcium and potassium. Also try alkaline water to balance your body’s pH and detoxify acidic wastes. You can learn how to process it yourself at www.healthalkaline.com.

5)    Cleanse your body and your mind will follow. An obvious rule of thumb is “Eat like shit, feel like shit. Eat better, look better.” We all get midnight munchies. Try a turkey burger with avocado slices instead of a McGang-Bang and fries. Think eating healthy is too expensive? Grow a garden. Too lazy for a garden? Me too.

Try this delicious detox smoothie made by our friends at Give Me Some Oven to save your gut and your pocket book (:

Ingredients

•    3 cups frozen diced pineapple

•    3 cups fresh baby spinach

•    1 cup frozen diced banana

•    1 celery rib (optional)

•    1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger (start with less and add more if desired)

•    1 Tbsp. chia seeds

•    Juice from half a lime

Combine all ingredients in a blender and pulse until smooth. Add a little water or juice if needed to help the blender blend.