Hi there! Man, I have missed you guys. I took a week off last week, from blogging and writing my newsletter, because I have had so much on my plate lately! However, as a result of my mini break, I have a whole new appreciation for this delightful mug of peppermint tea I am sipping on…ahhhh 🙂
Do you ever notice how difficult it can feel sometimes, to keep a healthy balance between work and play, or being productive and being productively lazy??? I must admit I am guilty of forgetting this on a daily basis. When we are so hungry to achieve certain goals, we can end up starving ourselves of other nutrients we really need and require in order to function optimally. I talk about life in nutrition terms because everything we need is a form of food for us. Are you familiar with the terms Primary Food and Secondary Food? I teach these terms to my clients because it’s important for them to understand that there is more than just one form of food and many ways in which we get hungry and need to be fed. Do you feel hungry??? What are you feeling hungry for?
You see, Primary Food consists of things like career, spirituality, relationships, exercise, intimacy, rest and relaxation, fun, etc. We must be fed in all these areas in order to be properly nourished. Secondary Food, is actual food that we eat, and it also must consist of all the nutrients we need for our bodies to maintain a functional existence. The last few months I have made the mistake of putting some areas of my primary food, such as rest, relaxation, and fun, on the back burner so to speak. As a result, I have grown extremely stressed out, overwhelmed, and full of tension. THIS IS NOT THE GOAL!!! I eat very healthily , fulfilling my secondary food requirements, I exercise regularly, I am growing and loving my business, have great relationships, and I am consistent with my spiritual practice. However, WHAT’S THE POINT of achieving all these things, if I am walking around on the verge of a breakdown all the time??? Seriously, at one point last week, my business coach looked at me and literally stopped our session dead in the middle because my face looked so distraught! Yes, we had a time out 🙂 She, among several others, told me that I needed to let go a bit and chill out. It was a bit shocking to me that it was that obvious, by taking one look at me, that I needed a break! LOL! So I decided to do what had been suggested to me by some very credible sources in my life. I am feeling so much better now as a result. I am so grateful that I have been reminded of the value that rest, relaxation, and fun can bring to my life.
My point is…we tend to forget that such a big part of being healthy is the way in which we ALLOW ourselves to ENJOY the fruits of our labor. It is so important that we seek out balance between healthy productivity and healthy laziness. They are both required if we expect to maintain a healthy state of mind and a healthy body. Sometimes, we can make ourselves sick by trying to be so healthy and perfect all the time.
What areas of your life do you feel you may be neglecting? How might you feed yourself in some ways other than with food? Many people misunderstand their primary food hunger for secondary food hunger, and try to eat until they are full. The result…they consume more calories and NEVER FEEL FULL. Same thing goes for someone who is trying to fill their primary needs for fun by working too much…it aint gonna happen!!! Even when you LOVE your job, work and fun are two different nutrients, and we need them BOTH! Take a look at all the categories you consider to make up a “FULL” life for you. Then write down the areas that may be lacking in your life. What are some things you can do to fill yourself back up again in those areas? If you ever find yourself eating yourself into oblivion on the couch…you may be trying to fill a hole that cannot be filled with food. If you are always go, go, go, trying to get to the place of being “happy,” why don’t you try taking a day or two off instead, and actually give yourself the time to BE happy. On that note, I’ll share the quote on my Yogi Peppermint Tea with you, lol. “Real happiness lies in that which never comes nor goes, but simply is.”
I encourage you to shop in the grocery store of life, and pick out the things that will feed your primary needs first. Please share your questions and comments here with me. I look forward to hearing from you. Here’s To Your Health, Wellness, and Vitality!!!
Please take a minute to review the Integrative Nutriton Food Guide Pyramid and Live a balanced life 🙂
