Some Effort is the Start of Something Good

One of the more challenging things for us to do nowadays is be present. Technological advances have added to our desire for speed and expectation for immediate results.  This super-charged fast pace is not normal for mere mortals like us. Our brains cannot keep up with the information overload or the expectation to be linked in and accessible at all times.  An unintended consequence of this overconnected  lifestyle is that we miss the present moment.  We miss it completely.  The body is in the here and now, but the mind travels behind or ahead or elsewhere.  It is only in the present moment that we can actually do something.  We can't go to the past and undo our mistakes, and we can't leap to the future and play out our success.  It is only in the present moment when we allow the mind to be still and to find the body that we can make a change.

People tell me all the time they want to live a "healthy lifestyle."  They define this lifestyle as being more active, eating better, losing weight, sleeping more regularly, managing stress without food, etc.  That's a tall order.  No one can do all of those things all the time.  However, most of us can stop for a moment and look around and see that the "next right thing" might take just a few short minutes.  Those minutes might lead to less stress--big bonus--and more happiness--big bonus--and more positive lifestyle changes--major bonus. 

Spending a few minutes every hour to get up and walk around, take a stretch, get more water and give your overworked and overstimulated brain a break is a good way to start.  Setting timers, using the fitbit or watch to remind you to take care of yourself makes sense.  We get caught up in the information stream, and then we miss rebooting our own battery, so to speak.

In yoga and qi gong, we talk about the balance between two polarities.  Sometimes we say the yin and the yang, the sun and the moon, the light and the dark.  While there is no perfect 50/50 equation, there can be more balance.  Think of a road trip where sitting, sitting, sitting makes us want to leap from the car and stretch, walk around, get some fresh air.  Or, consider holiday time, where there is too much entertaining with heavy foods and drinks.  We start looking forward to simpler meals and less time in crowds.  That is the yin chasing the yang for more balance.  Our bodies and minds want this.

This week, consider the brief moments of your day where you might find more balance, where you can create a brain break and get some movement into your busy day.  It will make you feel better, and when you feel better, you do better.  That is a healthy lifestyle in the making.