A Healthy Self-Esteem

“Most fears of rejection rest on the desire for approval from other people,

don’t base your self-esteem on their opinions” Harvey Mackay

You may look at yourself and find those things that you wish you could change. Often times you may spend significant time assessing and judging your flaws and shortcomings. Having healthy self-esteem is just as important as those daily healthy regimens of going to the gym and eating healthy meals. You can lose weight and obtain the physicality that you desire but if you don’t feel good about who you are and what you are becoming then those healthy regimens are in vain. Having healthy self-esteem is having a positive self-image. You have to see that you are marvelously made with amazing potential. You must learn to view yourself as a person that is loved by your Creator. Self-esteem can’t be based upon how you look, who likes you and what others may think about you. You must have the courage and boldness to look yourself in the mirror and look deep inside past your hurt and pain and find the true you. The “true” you must rise and know you have unique qualities that are only special and tailored just for you. I challenge you to stop looking from outside to find your true happiness and self-worth but look inside your soul and spirit and love and accept who you are.  Accept all of you regardless of what you believe may be your flaws or shortcomings. You must know that your true worth is far greater than what’s on the surface or what you don’t think is of value. In closing I ask that you look deep inside and always know you are of great value.

“The Value of Self-Care by getting a Massage”

“A good weekend starts with a positive attitude and a great massage.” Unknown 

“You’re only one massage away from a good mood.” Unknown 

Self-care encompasses many things, but the most important aspect is taking the time to care for yourself first before you care for others. The benefits of staying fit helps with your overall health and well-being. Having good health is a combination of several daily and weekly habits that you do consistently.

Health and fitness consist of healthy eating habits and choices, exercising regularly, getting ample amounts of rest/sleep, daily meditating and getting a full body massage; that all is self-care! A full body massage helps relax the muscles and work through tight stressful muscles. If you are experiencing stress a good massage helps with reliving stress and tension that grips and tightens muscles. I encourage you to take the time and do something for yourself and get a massage; you owe it to yourself!

There are six benefits of getting a massage. A massage:

1. Counteracts all that sitting you do – “Most individuals are dealing with postural stress,” says Aaron Tanason, “More often than not [that stress] tends to manifest in the shoulders and neck.” But desk workers, beware. More advanced forms of postural stress show up as pain or weakness in the low back and gluteals caused by prolonged periods of sitting.

2. Eases muscle pain – Got sore muscles? Massage therapy can help. “Massage increases and improves circulation,” says Tanason.

3. Soothes anxiety and depression - can be incredibly therapeutic and relaxing,” says Tanason.

4. Improves sleep – A massage encourages a restful sleep.

5. Boosts immunity - A 2010 study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that massage boosts patients’ white blood cell count, which plays a large role in defending the body from disease.

6. Relieves headaches - “Massage decreases frequency and severity of tension headaches,” says de Miranda. Research from Granada University in Spain found that a single session of massage therapy immediately effects perceived pain in patients with chronic tension headaches.

To read the full article:

http://www.besthealthmag.ca/best-you/health/6-surprising-health-benefits-of-massage-therapy/6/

“Flexibility”

“Stretching exercises promote flexibility, so you move fluidly”

Denise Austin

“Flexibility is the key to stability”

John Wooden

Physical fitness is crucial and vital to your overall health yet it is not enough. Research indicates that stretching enhances your flexibility and mobility. According to a Harvard Health education article, “you may think of stretching as something performed only by runners or gymnasts. But we all need to stretch in order to protect our mobility and independence. A lot of people don't understand that stretching has to happen on a regular basis. It should be daily," says David Nolan, a physical therapist at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital.” The great thing about stretching is that you don’t need a gym membership or hire a trainer to conduct stretching routines, but you would need to know the proper techniques. You can gain the proper techniques for experts such as a trainer, physical therapist or massage therapist. However, if you don’t know anyone in this line of business you can locate proper techniques for creditable online resources. The most important message about stretching is that it keeps your mobile and flex, as you age your muscle shortens and tightens which makes you stiff. Therefore, stretching keeps your muscle lengthen, strong and movable.

According to the Mayo Clinic better flexibility may:

·         Improve your performance in physical activities

·         Decrease your risk of injuries

·         Help your joints move through their full range of motion

·         Increase muscle blood flow

·         Enable your muscles to work most effectively

·         Improve your ability to do daily activities

Make a commitment to take 5 to 10 minutes daily to engage in stretching, you will increase your flexibility and mobility. This activity is one of the most beneficial physical activities you can perform as its has great dividends for your health.

“Mental Fitness”

“Mental fitness is just as important as physical fitness”

LeBron James

“Your mental and physical health are inseparable. You cannot work to strengthen one without having a positive effect on the other.

Napoleon Hill  

Mental fitness is very important to your overall health if not more important than your physical health. You must not neglect your mental fitness. Your ability to keep your brain sharp and your ability to focus becomes increasingly valuable as you age. You have to ensure that you are taking care of your mental fitness much sooner than you think. There are brain exercises that you can do to keep you mentally fit according to Very Well Mind, https://www.verywellmind.com/brain-exercises-to-strengthen-your-mind-2795039

 7 Brain Exercises to Strengthen Your Mind

1.       Take care of your body to take care of your mind

2.       Draw a Map of Your Town from Memory

3.       Learn Something New

4.       Try Using Your Non-Dominant Hand

5.       Socialize

6.       Meditate

7.       What About All Those Brain Training Games?

Stress can negatively impact your brain. Focusing on decreasing and managing your stress is imperative. When you’re de-stress you are supporting your mental fitness as well. According to Very Well Mind there are five things that stress does to your brain https://www.verywellmind.com/surprising-ways-that-stress-affects-your-brain-2795040

5 Surprising Ways That Stress Affects Your Brain

1.       Chronic Stress Increases Mental Illness

2.       Stress Changes the Brain's Structure

3.       Stress Kills Brain Cells

4.       Stress Shrinks the Brain

5.       Stress Hurts Your Memory

“If you're living with high levels of stress, you're putting your entire well-being at risk. It narrows your ability to think clearly, function effectively, and enjoy life.” (helpguide.org) Therefore, strengthening your mind and managing your stress is a crucial when it comes to healthy living.

“Take a Sabbath”- Rest-Relax-Restore

“Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop”

Ovid

“Learn to relax. Your body is precious, as it houses your mind and spirit.

Inner peace begins with a relaxed body.”

Norman Vincent Peale

“When we rest, our energy is restored.” Lailah Gifty Akita

Today’s norm is to constantly be on the move without time for rest, relaxation, and recharging. Many of you find yourself depleted and exhausted yet you continue to push yourself. When you neglect time for rest, relaxation, and restoration then you fail to recharge yourself.

When was the last time you took time to rest? To rest you need to find place to relax where you are not pulled in different directions, answering electronic devices and distracted by other activities. Sabbath means a day of rest. A time of rest in which you must slow down and not engage in those duties and responsibilities that require and demand your time and energy.

 Here are actions you can take to assist with taking time for rest (Sabbath):

1.       Intentionality – Schedule time to rest. When you look at your busy schedule, put on your calendar a day or a couple of hours where you rest, relax and recharge. For some it could be spending time at home in front of the fireplace reading a book, watching a movie, having dinner at home with family, spending time out on the patio, or simply going to bed earlier than usual. You may schedule after work to spend an evening not working on projects or taking work home with you. It is your time of rest. You may schedule a Friday evening to be around the house and not engage in the hustle and bustle of life.

2.        Learn to say “no” – You have to become comfortable saying no to things that are not in alignment with your purpose or those things that require your energy and effort, but they don’t serve any purpose in your life. You have to learn that you don’t have to be involved in a plethora of organizations or attend every meeting in the organizations you are member of.

3.       Set boundaries – You have to set boundaries when it comes to your time. People often will have you engaged in something that you either are not interested in or not a part of God’s plan for your life. Don’t allow others to plan for you and learn not to overextend yourself. Learn to manage your schedule and value rest, relaxation, and restoration. If you do set boundaries, then you will experience superlative outcomes in your career, and personal life, feel better and you can achieve greatness.

Finally, you owe it to yourself to take a vacation, give yourself much needed rest and relaxation. The greatest gift you can give yourself is the gift of the Sabbath, a time of rest. Life is not meant to be lived on the highway going 90 miles per hours every moment of the day. If that is you, then it’s time to take a Sabbath!

“Stay Hydrated”

“Healthy hydrated cells are the key to ageless skin and healthy body.”

Howard Mural, MD

It is imperative for your body to remain hydrated and to ensure your body intakes the proper amount of water. You receive hydration from drinking ample amounts of water daily. If you prefer other ways to quench your thirst other than water that’s fine. However, if you don’t drink any water, I want to encourage you to start with drinking at least one glass of water a day.

Over time your body will become accustomed to water and your body will implore your brain to want more water. Staying hydrated is essential for your health and fitness. Drinking water is a simple and easy way to maintain good health. There are benefits for keeping your body hydrated through drinking water.

According to an article Hydration: Why it’s so important; “Your body depends on water to survive. Every cell, tissue, and organ in your body needs water to work properly. For example, your body uses water to maintain its temperature, remove waste, and lubricate your joints. Water is needed for overall good health.” https://familydoctor.org/hydration-why-its-so-important/  (read the article in its entirety)

Here are six scientific evidence-based health benefits of drinking plenty of water https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-health-benefits-of-water (read the article in its entirety)

1. Helps maximize physical performance 

2. Significantly affects energy levels and brain function

3. May help prevent and treat headaches

4. May help relieve constipation

5. May help treat kidney stones

6. Can aid weight loss

Here’s to good health and hydration replenish your body by drinking water!!!

“Keep it Moving”

“Physical Fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is basis of dynamic & creative intellectual activity.”

John F. Kennedy

 “Your body can do it. It’s time to convince your mind.”

Unknown

There were two gentlemen that retired at the same time and age. After retirement, one gentleman became less active and spent the majority of his time relaxing in his recliner and engaging in less physical activities. His body commenced to get stiff and he became more inclined to less movement. On the contrary the other man decided to remain active after retirement by mowing his lawn, working in his garden and walking daily. The gentleman that remained active as he aged was physically able to do things the other gentleman were unable to do. Physical activity is paramount to your health and wellness. It has been proven that when you are active physically you will reap enormous benefits physically, mentally and emotionally.

According to the National Library of Medicine, an article entitled Benefits of Exercise, listed benefits of exercising:

·         Reduces your risk of heart diseases

·         Helps you control your weight

·         Improves your sleep

·         Improves your mental health and mood 

·         Helps keep your thinking, learning, and judgment skills sharp

as you age

I know you may be saying I don’t like exercising or physical activity. I want to encourage you to find a method in which you can be physically active. For example, try walking, line dancing, riding a bike, yoga, running, or even just stretching. The objective is movement as opposed to what you don’t like but what you can do to improve your overall health and fitness. When you take this attitude and approach you may be surprised about want you can and like to do. You owe it to yourself to become the best version of yourself physically, mentally and emotionally.

Here’s to a better you!

For the entire list of benefits read the article named Benefits of Exercises. https://medlineplus.gov/benefitsofexercise.html

“Your Mental Health Matters”

“Mental health is not a destination but a process. It’s about how you drive, not where you’re going.”

Author Unknown

“You don’t have to struggle in silence. You can be un-silent. You can live well with a mental health condition, as long as you open up to somebody about it.”

Demi Lovato

Mental health is real and it matters. It matters in respect that you don’t have to suffer alone or in silence. You can work with a licensed professional to support you in identifying your exact cause and diagnoses. I am no expert in this area but I do know that mental health is a serious matter that needs supporting. There is nothing to be ashamed of and you are to be commended if you have reached out to someone for support. If you know of someone that is battling with this condition encourage that person to seek out support from a professional. That’s the best advice and support you can give.

“Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.” Mental Health.gov; to read the entire article: https://www.mentalhealth.gov/basics/what-is-mental-health#

Mental health is on the rise and has been exuberated because many have faced daunting difficulties during the pandemic. The health care crisis with loved one passing alone, with many losing their jobs and having to make adjustments and now the war in Ukraine its weighs heavily on the minds and hearts of individuals. Many have suffered major life altering situations over a short period of time and now that mental health is on the rise we can’t ignore it. Having such trauma can cause anyone to become extremely discouraged one can only handle so much! 

“The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic recession have negatively affected many people’s mental health and created new barriers for people already suffering from mental illness and substance use disorders. During the pandemic, about 4 in 10 adults in the U.S. have reported symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder, a share that has been largely consistent, up from one in ten adults who reported these symptoms from January to June 2019.” To read the entire article: https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/the-implications-of-covid-19-for-mental-health-and-substance-use/

Finally, life’s successes and defeats all starts in the mind. Your mind and your emotions must be able to navigate through the vicissitudes of life. Therefore, your mental health does matters, as it impacts everything in your life. Take a closer look at your mental faculties and determine how healthy are you mentally. Take this free online mental health test: https://screening.mhanational.org/screening-tools/