This unicyclist at the NYC Dance Parade feels great!
Character is the result of two things: mental attitude and the way we spend our time. ~Elbert Hubble
You want to be healthier. Yay! We want you to be healthier. But what does healthier mean? How will you know when you are?
There are certain physical measures you can look at like cholesterol and glucose levels, weight lost, or number of workouts per week. These are all good, but not necessarily readily available. One indicator that you can always check in on is how you feel. Develop a mind-body connection, and you can check yourself at any time - you don't need to find a scale or have your blood drawn. You can even do it right now while you're reading this.
Think of a time when you felt fabulous (altered states of consciousness don't count). Maybe it's right now. How did you feel? Energetic, engaged, on top of it, smart?
It's important to be mindful of your mind-body connection (sounds New Agey, but it's true). The healthier you are, the better your body feels, and the better you feel.
A mind-body connection comes naturally to some people while others have to develop it. Personally, I've only recently started to develop one. I used to push myself to the limit and as a result, I'd fall asleep wherever I was. Sometimes I would walk in my door and fall asleep on the carpet (not being able to make it to bed). After a close friend told me that this was abnormal, I started noticing where my physical limits were. This has been great for me since I feel noticeably better as I add healthy habits, and I'm more on top of it than not. It's also good for those around me since they don't have to deal with the fall-out of my being unaware. Once, in college, I went to Hong Kong with my cousin, and tried to fit everything in by getting minimal sleep. I also tried to save money by eating minimal food. This seemed like a great plan until I collapsed on the Star Ferry which scared us both. Not fun.
Be mindful of how you feel, and you will reap the reward as you get healthier.
What to do - Develop your Mind-Body Connection
- Remember a time when you felt great. How did that feel? What was your energy level like? Your clarity? How engaged with your surroundings were you?
- Focus your attention on yourself right now, and be mindful of how you feel - energy level, mood, awareness. Are you fully engaged?
- Check in with yourself regularly - after exercise, after eating, anytime. How do you feel? How is it related to your habits? The beautiful thing is that you can always improve how you feel by following the Mindful Eats Map. If you feel sluggish and bad, make a note of what caused it.
- If you can't tell how you feel, stick with it. Keep trying and checking in with yourself. You'll start to develop your awareness.
- Try exercises that actively develop a mind-body connection. Meditation, yoga and qi gong help.
Exercise: ran 20 miles (last few weeks before NYC marathon)
