Taking a proactive approach to staying healthy can involve many things. Keeping our minds, our bodies and our spirits healthy is a challenge that most of us face every day. I know that at any given time, I am out of whack on one of these elements. Knowing this made me think that I must not be alone.
As you know from reading our weekly newsletters that Lyndsay and I keep pretty hectic schedules. Busy schedules often affect health. Keeping balance in life is probably key to protect ourselves from illness. As vegetarians, most of you are taking care of the food aspect to feeding the body, but are you feeding your mind and your soul?
It is recommended that each and every day, we take time to nourish the soul. This means different things to different people. Essentially the commonality with this exercise is taking time each day for you and you alone. For some it is time spent meditating, for others it is time spent in prayer with their GOD. It can be time spent doing something you enjoy or doing something for others that makes you feel good.
Once again, Google proves to be an excellent source of information and guidance on this exact topic.
www.care2.com offers 15 different suggestions of which the following 5 I felt are ones I would use:
- Brew a pot of herbal tea, sit down with a book or magazine and just take a break from the world.
- Smile. Even if you don’t want to. Smiling tricks your brain into thinking you’re happy. (See the 7 Benefits of Laughter.)
- Give someone you love a big hug and tell him or her how much you love them.
- Sing…just for the joy of it. Even if you think you can’t sing, do it anyway. Freeing your voice is a good way to help heal your soul.
- Look for the positive in your daily experiences. Many people seem to look for things to complain about on the articles they read. Stop looking for the negative.
Feeding the mind, although for many of us, is very much connected to the soul, can be a very different process. With my schedule, feeding my mind is probably the weakest area for me. I spend more than 2.5 hours a day driving back and forth to work, 9-10 hours at my desk and meeting with clients. Before moving to the country, I spent time every day reading the paper and always had a stack of books that I was working my way thru. Of late, I listen to CBC; spend time each day doing research on the net and weekends working on recipe development. Clearly my mind is screaming for more than what I am giving it.
I came across this short poem that I thought was quite poignant:
“Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny” — Unknown
Here are a few suggestions that I have come up with all by myself!
- Take the time to have a conversation with someone who has lived longer and lived a bigger life than you think you can.
- Write down your thoughts. No commitment to keeping a journal, just keep a notebook by your bed or next to your favourite chair. You might surprise yourself.
- Play word mole on your smart phone rather than watch a mindless television program.
- Take a walk in a nearby park, or if you live in the country like I do, put on your hiking shoes or rubber boots and trek thru the bush, taking time to notice your surroundings, study the birds and the trees.
I often write about things that are on my mind, am facing or have been presented with. I know that most of all, I need to nourish my soul, In working thru this newsletter, I also know that although I have made many changes in my life for the better, there are things that I used to do, that I just don’t give myself the time to do. Taking myself to the movies, sitting in a cafe with the paper or a good book with a steaming cup of green tea, eating a nice meal in tiny local bistro with a glass of prosecco, just to feel special. Guess I need to make some time for myself!
A little piece of advice, take some time to nourish the part of you that needs some love and attention!
Happy Cooking!
Laurie & Lyndsay
Interesting Thought from Lyndsay
Ever hear of brain dumping? I hadn't either but I came to realize that it is a process that is an effective way to process information and keep your mind healthy!
so what is Brain Dumping?
If your a person who writes everything down, you likely do not need to do this method, but someone like myself who is on the go all the time, on a cell phone, in and out of my car, I don't always have a pen handy and keep storing things in my memory. I was relying on my memory as my calender and notebook and I didn't realize it at the time but I was absolutely exhausted, all information was mixed, couldn't remember numbers and was just plain seeing my memory go!
I happen to mention this to a sales manager that I used to work with and he asked me if I brain dumped? and that one question has bettered my life in so many ways.
Basically you write things down as you go - yes, but also at the end of the day I write down everything I need to do, need to remember, need to buy, anything I learned that day etc. I couldn't believe what calmness this simple act brought to my life. My tasks for a day or week are very clear, I don't panic or constantly feel like I am forgetting something.
If you have in the past or do presently feel the way I did before learning about Brain Dumping... give it a try!
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