Healthy Living
There can be many aspects that can equate to Healthy Living. Here we are going to focus on one for the time being. When we think of Healthy Living we may think of:
 |
- Chemical free food - A clean household - Eating healthy foods - Planting more trees - Exercise |
Do you ever think about yourself when you think of Healthy Living? Or do you only think about Healthy Living as being ‘out there’? You may or may not be healthy on a physical level, are you healthy on an emotional level?
How does one be ‘Healthy’ for oneself?
Healthy Living can come under all those above headings and more most definitely. However in the case of the majority, people usually forget the most important aspect of Healthy Living – taking care of oneself! To take care of yourself is having a healthy sense of respect and care of yourself. It is also a form of self-love. Taking care of yourself, allows you to have healthy boundaries and is the first step in allowing yourself to live a Healthy and Fulfilling life.
When you take care of yourself, you feel strong, aware, centred and everything flows. You know yourself – your capabilities and your limits. You can see and know where others are coming from without allowing yourself to be sucked into the drama or otherwise that they may be creating for themselves.
Do you find yourself doing any of the following?
- Constantly checking your phone, emails and/or social sites
- Excessive television viewing
- Keeping busy ie working too much, constantly cleaning
- Excessive smoking, drinking or drug taking
- Not actually listening when people are talking to you
By doing what is mentioned above can be for several reasons. As we keep ourselves distracted we may be seeking to fulfil a big empty hole that feels like it exists inside of us. It can also be a cover up for unexpressed feelings that are going ‘unheard’ and are just waiting for their chance to be expressed, accepted and released.
For unexpressed feelings one can have these from years of not being heard as a child. As we move into adulthood, we become accustomed to this way of being and feel inadequate, afraid or useless about speaking up for what we really need and want. Have you wished you had spoken up at a particular time in your life and then beaten yourself up about it for ages wishing you had? This bottled emotion can lead us to constantly keeping ourselves busy or otherwise as a way of keeping our true feelings from being expressed. The physical and emotional consequences of keeping our true feelings bottled up are numerous and significant.
How can we express our years upon years of feelings and emotions? There are many ways in which you can help yourself to begin to release feelings and emotions. You can choose to do it on your own, but in learning to take care of oneself and step up and take responsibility for ones thoughts, actions, and behaviour – it is okay to ask for help.
|
Some options are: - Build a support network for yourself. Surround yourself with those that are of like-mind. See a counsellor. Join a support group. - Write, draw, paint - Scream and yell into pillows - Use a boxing bag or take up a class in this field - Go for a run - Have a really good cry - Be gentle on yourself and take care of yourself - listen to what you need and honour that. |
 |
The big empty hole can be from unfulfilled needs throughout childhood or even before. If we have unfulfilled needs from childhood, meaning that at some point our parents didn’t give us what we needed at a particular time, which in turn caused us to feel unloved and unworthy of having our needs met, then how on earth do we go about ‘filling’ that hole that may be there? If our parents were not there for us to give us what we needed, to show us how to be ‘fulfilled’ then what on earth are we supposed to do now?
There is no point in blaming our parents. It is complete waste of time. Our parents were/are doing the best they can with the knowledge that they know. If they have not worked on healing their own wounds, then these are passed down onto their children. They will not let their children release their feelings as it triggers their own unhealed emotional pain from their own childhood. This can repeat over generations, unless one is prepared to work on themselves and break the cycle.
The gift and the beauty in learning how to take care of one self now, is that we can pass this self-care, self-respect, self-love and healthy boundaries and ways of relating to one another, on to our children and teach them how to live healthy, fulfilling lives. As for any of you with children out there will very well know, our children learn from what we do rather than what we say.
When we are walking around with a big empty hole to fill, we will find that we will encounter people in our lives that may consciously or unconsciously also have a big hole to fill. When we are seeking, again, consciously or unconsciously to fill this hole, and when our needs don’t get met through that person, place or thing, one can feel ‘let down’ again. History has repeated itself once more when our needs were not met and can lead to shutting down of ones feelings in order to protect themselves of getting ‘hurt’ again
It is time to step up. No one out there, no thing out there can fill you up with what you are seeking other than you. You are the adult now. You are the only one in charge of your life, your actions, your thoughts and your emotions. YOU are in charge. So what can we do to fill us up? What on earth is Self-Care??
Self care is anything that nurtures you and makes you feel good in a healthy way. Below is a list that may spark some ideas within you:
- Take a bath with candles, salts and essential oils relaxing music (lavender and rose are best!)
- Turn off your phone
- Turn off the television, light some candles, turn on some relaxing music and eat dinner in candle light
- Breathe. Become aware of your breath. Stop and take 3 or more conscious fulfilling breaths
- Go for a walk or run in nature
- Take your shoes off and really feel the ground beneath your feet
- Stop and smell the roses - literally
- Eat healthy and/or eat at least 3 meals a day
- Brush your hair – like really brush your hair, hang your head upside down and brush your hair – the blood rush is good for hair growth and gives your face a youthful look!
- Give yourself a foot massage with lavender essential oil
- Give yourself a facial – doesn’t have to break the budget do it at home yourself
- Paint, draw, write
- Take a Yoga class
- Meditate
Taking care of yourself in ways that are nurturing and fulfilling to you begin to fill up that empty hole. As you start to take care of yourself and fill yourself up with healthy ways of being, it can change your life in ways that you only previously dreamed of. Taking care of yourself is the first step to change! What do you do to take care of yourself?
Reality Awareness Copyright 2008