Lately I’ve been talking a little bit about convincing yourself to exercise or make it more interesting, or about making your diet healthier.
Why? We’ve each got just one life. It’s up to each of us to make our own lives better.
Do the things we want to do. Go places we want to go. Be the person we want to feel good about.
We’ve got to invest in ourselves first.
That may sound selfish, but it’s really the best donation to the human race we can make.
If each of us gets our own life in order, think how much we can serve others! If we feel good about ourselves, we’re more likely to help others feel good about themselves!
And it’s not just about exercise and nutrition!
Putting my closet in order, getting rid of clothes I haven’t worn in years and donating them will help others get clothes to keep them warm. (Not necessarily fashionable, but warm!) I’ll get more space and, rather than filling it up with more stuff, I’ll fill that space with calmness.
When you clean off a table, that clear space just makes you feel more open, calm and accepting. You’re motivated to keep it clear (at least for a little while).
When you clean a room, don’t you just breathe deeper? That, too, evokes a sense of calm and peacefulness.
And getting back to exercise and nutrition – when you feel good about yourself, you have a tendency to be nicer, kinder, more patient with others, more accepting of others’ foibles. You feel good knowing that you’ll be around for your family. You can help friends when they need it. You’ll be able to do things you want to do.
So, by investing in yourself – in that exercise and nutrition program, you’re investing not just in you, but in your family and friends as well.
