Over the last couple of weeks, we have begun taking an inventory of your life using the Life Balance Wheel.
Today we will visit the third pie on your wheel, your health. Allow me to ask various questions to help you get a perspective of your health and its elements.
First, let's begin by considering your overall satisfaction with your health; what number 1-10 would you give that?
Now let's break health down into three smaller pieces of pie. You can draw two lines within the large piece to create three smaller pieces of pie to represent your health.
At the top of the first one, place an "N." At the top of the middle one, place an "E." And the top of the last one, place an "S." These stand for NUTRITION, EXERCISE, AND SLEEP. These represent the foundation of health, both mental and physical.
Let's start with nutrition.
How satisfied are you with the quality and quantity of nutrition in your life?
The quality - does the nutrition in your life include lots of vegetables of all colors, lean proteins, healthy grains, and fruits? What number would you rate this?
Keep that number in your mind because we will average the two.
Let's take a look at the quantity of food and beverage? How would you rate your satisfaction with both the quantity of food and beverage? Meaning do you tend to use either as a tool to deal with your emotions?
An example beverage could be alcohol, caffeine, or sugar.
In coaching, we know that if you tend to overeat in the sugar categories, it's often connected to the heart, more sweetness, connection in your life.
If you tend to overeat with crunchy, salty items, it is often a desire to have more FUN in your life. And bread or baked goods, I believe, is a desire to come home, comfort.
So if you do use food or beverage as a tool, you would give it a lower number. Don't forget to average the two and draw a line on your wheel.
Next, let's look at exercise.
Once again, how would you rate your satisfaction with the quantity and quality of exercise in your life? Does your exercise consist of strength, stretch, agility, and aerobic?
And last, the sleep in your life.
Once again, the quantity and quality? You may be in bed for 8 hours, but what is that like? Do you have a hard time falling asleep, staying asleep? Do you wake up in the morning feeling rested, ready to go – or not?
One of my mentors once shared that if you wake in the middle of the night and tend to worry – he said that WORRY is creativity all dressed up with nowhere to go. Essentially, it's your soul trying to get your attention during the quietest moments of the day, inviting you to grow, expand, play!
So, if you are not back to sleep in 20 minutes or less after waking, I invite you to grab a journal and let your soul share some wisdom and guidance!
As you can see, your wheel is starting to take form.
Swami Kripalu taught us that practicing self-awareness without judgment is the highest spiritual practice.
So, this is a perfect opportunity to practice nonjudgment. You are bearing witness to where you are. No amount of self-punishment will get you to a new place. I promise! Let's be kind to ourselves.
Begin to contemplate this information. No one is saying that you can't eat the nachos or chocolate, but before digging in – pause for a moment and inquire within, "what do I really need right now?"
Maybe you will hear yourself wanting more play, rest, or meaningful connection?
Many think that a proper exercise program is going to the gym for two hours. Do you know that many of us can walk a mile in fifteen minutes? If you walk for just 15 minutes a day, at the end of the week, that would be 7 miles. At the end of the year, that would be 365 miles, which is further than walking from the Berkshires to New York City and back!
So over the next few weeks, consider how your health is impacting the quality of your overall life? Or is there another area of your life that may be affecting the quality of your health? What would it take to put a little more attention to this aspect? More to be revealed.
Next week we are going to talk about friends and family. Hint, you may want to draw a line down the middle of that pie as well.
Love and Light, my friends.