I recently led two fabulous groups in our Health Coaching Series with the last topic being Make Space. You might ask what does that mean? Short answer, if you want to build tools for a healthier lifestyle you have to make space in your life now.
In a broader context it includes making space on your calendar for yourself, building space and time to work out and creating mental space to breath. If we don’t do these simple spatial tasks, we set ourselves up to become just another dire statistic.
- The average American only takes 54% of their available time off
- According to Gallup American are the most stressed people in the globe
- Only 12% of Americans are metabolically fit
How to beat the numbers
With ever increasing amounts of stress being applied to us from the lockdown, making space needs to be a priority. Here’s a few suggestions for now and beyond.
- Get active
- Make actual space at home to work out
- Unplug every day even if only a few minutes
- Don’t over commit
- Take time to breath
- Get support
I start with the last one first, get support. That can come in a host of ways, therapy, a coach, a trainer and or just a good conversation with an old friend. As so much of life is virtual, we need to reinvigorate our social connections and find inspiration. Make space to regularly tap into your own support system.
Just breath
“That’s what nature meant us to do, breath deep when we are stressed.”
Having just finished the book, Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor I’ve reacquainted myself with the art of breathing. Focused breathing is nothing new, look to the yogis with various pranayama techniques or the Buddhist tradition of breath meditation.
According to Nestor it seems as a species we’ve lost our ability to breathe correctly. I ponder is it more that we don’t allow ourselves the time to relax, reboot and breath freely? A possible solution is to find a technique that works for you and try to commit just a few moments a day to finding a relaxed place to simply breath.
A renewed attention to breath just might get you to unplug and away from a device. Thus, you’ve created an instant two for the price of one. Cutting the chains of a screen and allowing your own breath to do its’ magical charm.
In speaking with a good friend in Europe she mentioned she had a “Zoom Burnout” and had to go cold turkey for a bit. I can completely sympathize. She realized she had totally overbooked herself and was becoming drained. It’s so easy right now to want to fill up our calendars since we’ve lost so much in person interaction. Just be aware and see if you can put the pause on committing too much and too often.
Actual Space
On September 15 here in California we will hit the milestone of six months in shutdown. Yes, we had a very short (less than two weeks) reprieve at the end of July, but personally that seems long forgotten. It’s an incredibly challenging road and the end is unknown.
One HUGE positive note is that even in our tiny living space we cleared room to work out regularly. We made an open space that one can access easily with literally no hassle. When working out becomes difficult, meaning you have to move stuff around, can’t get there (in previous times) quickly or basically just takes TOO much effort to make it happen, it won’t happen.
Thus, moral of the story, make space physically in your environment, which for most of us is home right now and make space mentally to tap into your own amazing self.
Stay strong!
1 on 1 Health Coaching can be scheduled at your convenience. Get started now on a LCHF/Keto program for vibrant health. Program info here.
Well said. I am reminded of two quotes, the first is Tolstoy’s “Everyone thinks of changing the world but no one thinks of changing himself.” And that is what you’ve done here, established a means by which we may begin the process of changing ourselves. And the other is “big changes come in small steps.” Which again, you have poignantly laid out! All that is left is for us to embrace the change, one small step at a time…
Very poignant Jon! Investing in ourselves whether through change or making space to breath can support our life journeys and as you say it’s one small step at a time. That turtle did win the race…