Be Good to You!

"When we're young we find comfort with peers," a friend mused. "When we're older we find comfort in food... Go figure!" I laughed at first, but reflected more... Do you find space to be good to you? Comfort activities can make a difference to your well-being...

Comfort Zones... One of my favorite comfort activities is putting on a fuzzy robe, sliding into slippers and settling back in a cozy chair with a good book. Another is a walk along the Erie Canal which is wondrous with every changing season... What's your favorite way to completely relax?

No Time to Relax?... In the midst of harried jobs, pressures at home, and even pressures from great community groups, do you seemingly run on a treadmill 24/7? This kind of lifestyle opens itself to a lot of Cortisol, a brain chemical often referred to as the stress hormone. Why should you care about cortisol? Dr. Ellen Weber reveals prolonged levels will...

1. Lower your immune system so you’ll get sick faster than others
2. Slow down your thinking
3. Create blood sugar imbalances
4. Raise your blood pressure
5. Weaken muscle tissue
6. Decrease bone density
7. Increase fat in the stomach areas

Pretty scary, eh? And often this happens because of the best intentions. People work hard, moms and dads give their all to children, upkeep of home, to parents. But, in the midst of all this they never learn to be good to themselves. They're drained! The only activity left is couch potato, which is not of any value since it causes folks to get further behind or feel guilty.

Being Good To You... Have you ever thought of planning to be good to yourself... to actually schedule it... jot it into your Daily or Weekly Planner? It doesn't need to take a lot of time either. What kind of activity would make your day or your week? Keep in mind variety makes this more fun as well...

Benefits... I never used to plan time in my schedule to be good to me, but do so now, and I feel ever so much less tension in my neck and shoulders. Just anticipating a fun time can release serotonin, a hormone of well-being. And, when we take time for ourselves, we'll actually have more within ourselves to give out at work and to those we love most...

Planning special fun activities, just for ourselves, in the course of busy weeks not only renews well-being, but also jazzes life... What do you have in mind?