Fill the Pot
After the first of the year, it seemed that all water cooler conversations sunk into frustrations about having fallen away from routines. In truth, the lament isn’t actually the absence of a routine. It’s that we traded a habit of self-care for something else. It’s free weights swapped for flannel pajamas, cardio for hot cocoa, and regular rest for movie marathons.
Any time we say we are out of our routine, what we are really saying is that we have let go some element of self-care that we had previously committed to.
Regrettably, resuming a routine of self-care is always more difficult than moving away from it. (How is that for profound? It’s probably written on the wall of a pyramid somewhere.)
Isolated grand gestures (e.g. two hours at the gym followed by extra time spent in meditation) rarely instill the momentum necessary for sustained progress. It’s repetitive, incremental investment in self that produces an enduring ROI.
Self-care is a recipe rather than an equation. It only pays off in the doing.
Rather than trying to assume the role of executive chef, we need only follow the recipe for healthy living as defined by the wisdom of the ages. Balanced portions of rest and effort, spiritual practice and mindfulness, authentic connection with others and service.
As with all favored recipes, the whole becomes greater than the sum of its elements. Right thinking follows right action which supports further right action leading us to personal evolution by grace.
And yet, in light of ever-changing circumstances, the absence of a quid pro quo solution, and our human tendency to only commit just enough effort to get us by, periods of complacency are inevitable a.k.a. we stop taking care of ourselves.
In those face palm moments, the purposeful question isn’t how did we get here? Or even why? It is always, how long will we wait to begin again?
The recipe is written. The chef is at the ready. It is time to fill the pot.
One Comment
Bobby Burden
Sometime just after leaving high school I forgot that my PE teach said ” do these exercises from now on”. Or feeling and seeing the deference in while going through boot camp routinely and vigorously working out almost all day long.
My worst exuse ” life just got to buesy ” . To buesy to take care of myself? I thought all those things my parents, and society tought me like hard work, education, etc was taking care of myself.
A Dr. told me somewhere along the line of growth we forgot how to stretch. Babies intuitively stretch when they wake up, along with cats and dogs, and many other animals. Just the simple stretching seems to wake up the mind and body. Routinely exercising, reading an affirmation, praying and meditation wakes up my mind, body, and spirit. My day becomes morally fit. I feel good about myself and I feel good about interacting with others. I’ve also discovered writing, painting, just being in the woods watching and lestining to nature is another routine that is part of taking care of myself.
After all who else is going to do it for me? Taking care of myself is a positive action I must not miss.
Thanks for all your writings they started to be a routine of mine, but of course life got buesy and I fell off that part of my routine. I’m sure there is room in the pot still.