Some Basics for each week

I read someone’s post who understood present challenges, but came around to gratitude too. I liked his post, so I thought I’d share some thoughts of ideas for our wellness. Feel welcome to comment some of your insights and wisdom! 😊  

1.      Take good care of yourself: Each day make certain your habits and actions are proactive for your health—body, mind, and spirit, and can help your budget too (that was part of his reflection).

2.      Each day:  Eat well. Our nutritional intake is to help our bodies have energy for activities, healing, and building. For greater health, and since the cost of many foods has risen, consider:

·         Grow some of your own food. Not only is being outside healthy (in the right environments of course), but planting trees for food supply, (and shade, beauty, native ecology) and having an annual garden are great for our health, in addition to being earth-friendly and beautiful activities. To help the budget, for example: I think we have over twenty pineapple plants in our yard, and more than half are because I took care to keep the tops of ones purchased, kept them in water to grow the roots, and later planted them. Each year, we seem to enjoy more than a dozen ripe, delicious pineapples, and give away several too.

·         Growing food trees and plants from seeds is rewarding and cost-effective. It seems it doesn’t take long for papaya trees, loquat trees to begin giving fruit (sometimes only 2-3 years). My grandson and I pick and eat several Moringa leaves from trees when we’re exploring the yard, within the first year the moringas grow from seeds planted (or after the pods fall and naturally begin to sprout). It’s also worth the wait for avocado and mango trees grown from seeds which take longer to produce. Kudos to the quote of: Best time to plant a tree: 10 years ago. Next best time: Today.     

·         Grow herbs for teas and cooking. Take your pick (pun intended 😊 ), each seems to be great for our health: Parsley, oregano, mints, basil, rosemary are my favorites.

May we each have some fresh food within our homes, or outside, even in pots on porches. Tend to them organically for greater nutrition (and so they don’t have toxins on them which we would ingest).

3.      Each day or regularly during the week, exercise or have body movements for flexibility, strength, and endurance. I love the exercise shows on PBS, or YouTube. Take time for quiet or brisk walks, alone or with a neighbor or friend. Feeling stronger, more energized and/or relaxed helps us enjoy life more.

4.      Have solitude time to think about what we’re grateful for, or what we are amazed by in good ways.

5.      Spend quality time with others: Plan some fun—perhaps a hike together, share reading from favorite books or inspirational quotes; have a few topics for discussion that are different—perhaps about gardening, recent musical or theatrical shows (or even an interesting documentary)—we don’t have to go out for each, as it is easy to watch on the internet or tv stations. Check out local events; even share house care projects, especially share tips which save money in repairs or maintenance. Remember board games, or playing cards? Putting together puzzles, or doing crafts?

6.      Spend quality time with the earth, our earth home. Visit local parks or distant state and national parks.

7.      Keep your PMA…Positive Mental Attitude. Throughout our lives, we will experience better times when we choose to find positive, proactive solutions to challenges we face. When pressed, pause; breathe more deeply in and release the breath calmly—do this several times. Perhaps write down the challenge and aim to note three to five choices about it (good choices) that can be done. We often learn by growing through challenges.

8.      Want to change your mood upward? Consider what makes you feel good and do some of these actions. Is it listen to uplifting music? Select great music to dance to? Put on a yoga video (even if 5-10 minutes)? Call a friend or person who can give you good advice? Read an uplifting passage? Meditate? Go for a walk? Look, really look at nature—take one flower and admire the colors, the scent, feeling of softness in the petals. Help someone with an act of kindness, say hello, or contact someone who’s gone through a tough time or loss recently. Being loving is important.

These can shift not only our moods, but the chemistry within us and help us to feel better and maybe even become more grateful, thoughtful.

Helping each other is an act of kindness. And kindness never goes out of style.

From my heart to yours, Sharon