Take care of my body.

I have been thinking about creating this type of goal for some time now. I’m not sure that it is a goal I can ever quite mark as fulfilled due to its ongoing nature and I’m not sure if it will be ideal due to the fact that it will encompass a lot of smaller goals, but I wanted to have a place to group together different goals related to my health. We’ll see how it goes. I have been meaning to organize a few of my goals for a while, and as I looked through some of the past entries for this one, I realized that instead of adding a new goal, I could simply modify this one.

When I think about taking care of my body, I think about three main areas as a foundation:

1. Sleep
What I would like is to get 7 to 8 hours of sleep, and to get to bed before midnight, ideally around 11pm.

2. Diet
I would like to move towards a simpler, more natural diet including more whole foods, more fruits and vegetables, and less processed foods. I would also like to keep hydrated.

3. Exercise
Ultimately, my ideal was to do some form of cardio three times per week, for at least 30 minutes, and strength training twice per week, for at least 15 minutes, in addition to daily stretching. These days, I am feeling a bit more flexible with the types of exercises, as long as I am getting regular exercise, but I will still use the previous goals as a guideline.

I also think relaxation, checkups and appointments, and possibly a health journal are important.

I would like to find something I can do daily or weekly that would relax my mind and body. I would like to ensure I am getting regular checkups annually, and would like to offer my body special treatments, for example a massage, hair cut, etc., four times per year (once per season).

I think I am fairly in tune with my body but I would like to improve this. I would like to be attentive to how different foods and exercises make me feel, and would like to lead my body to a healthier, more balanced state.

I may need to rearrange some of my goals but for the time-being, I have created a little sub-goal here. Be healthier.

That’s quite general, I know, but my mind is swirling with concrete ways to make this happen. I am thinking about starting this more officially in April, and gradually implementing habits that will ultimately create a healthier me.

I am jotting down ideas, and will share them soon.

I didn’t know where to post this but I thought it would fit here.

I looked at myself in the mirror today and acknowledged that I am not so happy with the way I look lately. This might sound superficial but it isn’t something I usually say to myself. I was brushing my hair that had just been washed and realizing I am still not happy with it since the last cut I had. There are certain moments when I am not as happy with the color either and wonder how it might be to change it. I just felt dull looking and generally don’t think I have been looking as bright. My skin seems dull too and I am feeling frustrated about the weight I gained. I don’t feel weight was ever as significant an issue for me as it is now, and that bothers me too. I certainly do not have as much excess weight as I could but it is enough. I see and feel the difference and know that I have a good 15 pounds to lose. I was looking at pictures of myself in the summer of 2006 and wondering what was different then and what has changed since. One thing that might have played a role is having been on a certain birth control. For health reasons, I had intended to take a break from it starting this year, and have done so. That in itself might make a little difference but I know that my eating habits could be better as well. It helps to know my body had been more fit only a short couple of years ago, and also last year after following a certain plan.

As I got ready to leave, I put on a bit of lip balm, smiled and felt somewhat brighter for a moment. I find that I have been spending money the past several days as well, and in the past day or so alone, I was close to having ordered three things but only ended up ordering one. I think at times when I am not feeling as good (though this pertained more to my skin years ago), that is when I find myself researching and wanting to try something new, in hopes of feeling better I suppose. I even considered buying eyeliner today when I usually don’t wear eyeliner at all. It’s not a bad thing to care about taking care of oneself and doing something small to enhance our appearance and feel a bit better, but I don’t want to have to do that to feel okay.

I suppose it just hit me today that I didn’t like or wasn’t as comfortable with the way I looked recently but it’s okay. We can all feel that way sometimes, right?

Well, since my last entry, I have to admit that the beginning of this new year has felt somewhat overwhelming. I am preoccupied with so many things and trying to manage it all. In spite of this, I am making progress but I just need to get organized and find a sense of balance.

I scheduled appointments for both my annual physical and my eye checkup, so I am happy about that. I haven’t gone for my blood test yet and hope to take care of this sometime next week.

In terms of my eyes, I had wanted to schedule an appointment as it had been two years and something just sort of helped it get done. I had noticed something in one of my eyes in pictures and though it may be nothing, thought it would be good to have checked just in case. I had different issues with my eyes when I was a child and had operations – some more common things like myopia and astigmatism, and I also had strabismus. My father also had an issue with his eye as an adult and if anything were to be passed on to the children, I would be the likely one to have it because none of my other siblings have eye troubles.

I went for my hair cut and was not so happy with it, which was disappointing…it can take a little bit of time to adjust to a change, even a simple one, but in this case, I was very close to going elsewhere to try to have it fixed. I kept tying it back because it did not look very put together when left loose. It felt good to have it cut but because of the way it was done, made me wish I had my long hair back. It took about a week for me to start to accept it and feel a bit more comfortable, and my hair grows fairly quickly so maybe the next time will be better.

What I really feel would do me some good is a massage. Maybe this can be one of the next things I do for myself.

I have been feeling that this new year will be one of changes, improvements, additional clarity and organization. There are many things I will be tackling but I already have a sense of progressing towards a life that is more balanced and that is more representative of me.

I have also been thinking lately about a new goal that would involve a five-year plan. I have seen it on others’ lists and really think it can put things in perspective and help to focus on the little steps that will lead up to those bigger goals. Though when I think of this, I can’t help thinking of the question: Where do you see yourself in five years? Why does that somehow seem a little less comforting than ‘Create a five-year plan’? Maybe it’s because with the question, you feel the need to have the answer immediately, whereas with the goal, you can work at it gradually, feel the progress, make any adjustments you might need to if things happen to change without having to worry about what you have commited to giving as an answer to others, maybe before you are even ready. Sometimes it really is better, and nothing shameful, to simply say you don’t know.
I think working on the ‘31 days to fix your finances’ (you can read a little bit more about that under my ‘Pay off debt and save’ goal) exercises will help with this five-year goal, too. I have decided to start that again in January.

I have scheduled an appointment for a hair cut this upcoming Saturday so though it’s not in January, it will count as my first one for the year and a little way to take care of myself. I can use a cut, too! I am probably not an ideal client for a hairdresser because I am quite simple in terms of what I ask for so it may not be very exciting or challenging for them. I’m funny, I like something simple, manageable and actually don’t want something stylish, and by that I mean what may be ‘in’ at the moment or the same type of cut everyone seems to have at that point in time. I suppose I have never been much of a follower – if I decide on a new style, it is because I like it and not because it is the fad or look of the season. But I often stick to a simple, classic style with some layers, nothing too complicated. I tell myself that one day, I will try something different, but until then… And it probably doesn’t help that the few times I have tried something a little bit different, it hasn’t always worked out so well. :S One day! But until then, I’m happy just being me (a fresh, updated me as of Saturday). :)

As soon as I find a job again and have a clearer picture of what my work schedule will be, I will schedule the appointment. I don’t like having to ask for days off, especially when starting a new position, and I am hoping I won’t have to. I will try to go for my blood and urine test this upcoming week. I also want to remember to ask my doctor for a referral to see a dermatologist for a skin test (to screen for any possible signs of skin cancer). It doesn’t feel so long ago, and yet I think I am also due to have my eyes checked again. I want to start the new year off right, and know that I am doing my part to take care of my health and scheduling all the necessary appointments.

This is so important to me, and something I think will be a continuous process and take continuous effort.

There are things I would like to experience in my life if possible, but ultimately, I feel I would like a simple life (with little bits of excitement) that is good and honest. So when I think of simplicity, I think of simplicity in terms of my life and the things in it. I have never longed for a huge house, many cars, the latest gadget, or to have millions. I would like to have a nice home, possibly a car to get around, enough money for bills and savings, and possibly a little bit more to enjoy certain personal goals. What more do we really need? Sure, the possibilities could be endless with an abundance of money but once our needs are met and we are also able to enjoy certain experiences, be it through travel, a class, etc., I think we could look beyond ourselves. It’s funny how sometimes we realize how little we actually need.
I also think about simplicity in terms of diet – I would like to eat more simple, whole, natural, healthy foods.
I can also be a little bit possessive over certain belongings and I want to work on this.

In terms of balance, I think it is about mind, body and spirit, and learning to balance some of the main aspects of our lives: health and well-being/personal, family and friends/home life, and work/career.

A little thing I would like to do, ideally beginning in the new year, is to treat myself to the following things four times a year (once per season): Hair cut, facial, massage, manicure and pedicure. This can seem like a luxury (especially if we don’t have the means) but I think it’s about more. It’s a way to take time for yourself, to be cared for, and to care for your body. It can also be relaxing and do much good to the mind. Sometimes we are so busy that we can forget. None of those things have been part of my life on a regular basis, only on occasion, but I think it could be nice to make time for them.

I remember reading something in a book that showed a 90-minute block (I think) of time per day for you: 30 minutes for hygiene (shower, etc.), 30 minutes for exercise, and 30 minutes for relaxation. I thought this was a good example of something to build on, from which we could create our own block of time, setting specific amounts of time (more or less if needed) for certain things that contribute to our health and well-being.