Healthy Habits; Humor and Hugs
This week’s blog isn’t about something healthy to eat or a tea that you can drink, because being healthy is more than just eating right, taking supplements and exercising. I believe that the happiest people are the healthiest. You can take the best supplements, exercise every day and eat very healthy food, but if you don’t have love and laughter in your life, I’m not sure how far the rest of those go!
Have you ever heard the saying, “Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly”?
I remember the first time I heard that. It is true. Think about how good you feel when you laugh heartily. A good laugh can shake off a lot of stress. And hugs! When someone you love gives you a gigantic bear hug, it feels like all of your troubles just melt away.
This time of year can be the happiest for some, but it can also be the saddest for others. Happiness doesn’t come from outside of you, though. People and things come and go, but self-love, alignment with God and a light-hearted attitude will remain steady if you establish them well.
In the military, they say “embrace the suck.” It’s funny and a little cold, but it’s helpful. During times in life when things are not going as you’d hoped, let go and just embrace it. Look around and appreciate what you do have.
Don’t have anyone to give you that big bear hug? Then, give yourself one! You have two arms and they will reach around you well enough.
I’m sure you’ve heard people say “Suck it up, Buttercup!” How about we change that around to: “Hug it up, Buttercup”? And instead of “sucking it up,” maybe let it go instead. Take a deep breath in and a deep breath out. With your out-breath, say to yourself, “I’m letting this go now.”
Maybe you are too deep into a mire to find laughter right now. That’s o.k. Make peace with where you are. Sometimes a good cry or even more than one good one will help you release the things you’ve been holding onto that’ve been weighing you down. Be patient and loving with yourself. Remind yourself that you WILL laugh again and have joy in your life. Do not give up.
You have almost certainly heard the quote, “Be the change you want to see in the world,” by Mahatma Gandhi.
Well, then, start now and start with yourself. If you want to live in a kind, joyful, loving world, then start by creating that inside yourself and in your home. As within, so without. Listen to how you talk to yourself. Make a promise to yourself that you will start a new inner dialogue that is kind and loving. It is hard to start a new habit sometimes. The negative momentum can be strong and feel impossible to slow down. It isn’t. Even the word ‘impossible’ is: I’m Possible.
What healthy habits are you planning as your New Year’s Resolutions for 2023?
I’d like to hear them! And if enough people send me theirs in the next week, I’d like to put them here in the next blog. Please comment with your resolutions!
Maybe you will find several others with the same resolution, and you can reach out and support each other in those. Whether It be laughing more, hugging more, loving more, being more positive or just appreciating more. . .any of those are simple enough to achieve and they are all FREE.
If you get a group together with the same goal as let’s say appreciating more, then you can take turns encouraging one another in that. You can all keep a daily journal listing what you appreciate and read them to each other weekly. It can be as simple as writing – “I sure did appreciate my hot cup of coffee this morning.”
And what about those hugs? Well, it has been tough for all of us around the world to do that in the last few years, hasn’t it? Maybe we can change that collectively in 2023 and start hugging each other more. They sure do feel good, don’t they?
Be Well, God Bless You and Happy New Year!
Jennifer Wimmer
