What Are You Willing to Do to Feel the Way You Want to Feel?

When I was showing our 5 year old granddaughter how to operate the shower after swimming, she asked very seriously, Should I wash all the body parts? I answered, Yes, all the body parts smiling inside and thinking about the parts of our bodies and lives we often don’t take care of, in other words, self-care.

Self-care is a critical resilient skill I teach that most of us already know, but often don’t practice. We easily forget the freedom we have to choose how we take care of ourselves with so many options and resources available today. We also forget that every choice we make in our self-care affects how we feel, supporting or sabotaging our overall well-being.

What are you willing to do to feel the way you want to feel?

Instead of complaining about how tired, out of shape, unfulfilled, lonely, or disappointed you are, how about doing something different to feel different, such as:

• Walk into your first yoga class
• Pack your lunch and eat it
• Go to bed earlier
• Use a standing desk
• Meditate, journal or pray
• Find support with a trainer, coach or therapist
• Skip that second glass of wine
• Say no to someone so you can say yes to yourself
• Make a difficult phone call
• Join a dating service
• Get a physical
• Document your food, sleep, mood or anything else you want to change

When I make the time to take care of myself to feel the way I want to feel, I am more peaceful, on-purpose, and productive, in other words more resilient. Why not try it? Just for the next 30 days and don’t forget to take care of all the parts!