I got an e-mail from one of the blogs I subscribe to that says that June is National Reinvent Yourself month. Not sure where that came from or who started it....but why not?
And since I've been on the subject I might as well continue blathering on and on about why, and maybe add a few practical suggestions that I've tried and that have worked their way into my psyche, schedule, routine or brain.
I've heard 21 days (and 30 days) can slowly starve old habits and awaken and give life to new ones. Not sure if that's totally true. We can all be stubborn, can't we? I am. I will hang onto things so, so past the emotional or mental expiration date that the situation can become embarrassing to look in the eye and assess. I hate that, though. I don't want to stubborn myself into an early grave or stubborn out healthy relationships.
So. I declare stubbornacity to be a tool I will use to continue to reinvent my life into a better one...to suffocate the parts of me that I know aren't good, healthy or sweet to anyone around me...and to water and weed and offer light to the areas that I want to grow tall, healthy and to bear fruit.
So. Step two in baby steps.....and now baby steps to reinvention the old-fashioned, elbow grease kind of way....
2. Move differently. Choose far parking spots. Walk or bike to places that are close enough to do so. And speaking of moving....Go to bed and sleep when you need to...regularly.
If you want to exercise you can find tons of different videos on the internet. My favorite exercise routine is 20 minutes every morning -- Jillian Michael’s Shred. It costs about ten bucks and is a tough workout. I feel stronger and leaner and fitter. I hate it, but I go into robotic mindset and just do it.
Or walk. The dogs get a mile or so in most days and we do, too. Walk in place while you watch television. Play on the Wii. I've noticed that regular exercise makes me feel better and makes me think a little bit more about the things I put in my mouth. I drink more water when I exercise and that makes me less likely to nibble, too. A good walk is a good start, and dang it, it can be a super terrific habit to develop. Exercising has made me more inclined to park farther away at stores and at work I park at the top of a hill and take the steps just to get a few more minutes of activity in.
I recently read that a Japanese health tip is to take 10,000 steps every day. That is a LOT of steps. Two and half miles or so. But broken up into smaller segments I think it's doable and a decent goal. Working in a medical clinic gives me a close view into lives of all sorts of people. The healthiest ones come in once a year...and many of them are active. I see eighty-year-old women in their exercise clothes or smelling of chlorine because they just finished up with water aerobics. They seem to be limber and able to keep up just fine.
Not a scientific poll....just an observation. But I think it's worth noting. What do they say...if you don't use it you lose it? And activity is joint juice? I believe that...and am banking on it.
