WEEKEND GOAL: CHECK IN WITH YOURSELF.

Posted by Alanna Fincke

When Friday finally comes, many of us feel like doing nothing more than curling up on the couch with the remote control and a pint of ice cream. Tempting, yes. Healthy? No. This weekend, fight your end-of-week slump by checking in with your five “wellness centers.” Addressing these essential parts of your body and soul can help fight fatigue, boost energy, and keep you feeling great.

Ways to Keep Energy and Spirits High

Movement


• Ask yourself: Do I have a workout routine? How often do I really follow it? When's the last time I did something physical that brought me a sense of joy

• Why: Without regular exercise, you miss an opportunity to release stress and gain energy. When you choose an activity you love, you invigorate your soul as well.

• Take action: Make exercise a habit; if possible, schedule your activity for the same time every day. Your body will come to expect and look forward to it.

Nutrition


• Ask yourself: What's my relationship with food? When I'm tired, how does it change? Do I reach for "quick energy," such as sugar, caffeine, or potato chips?

• Why: "Quick fix" foods start us on a dangerous cycle: They let us keep going after our bodies have said "Enough!" This further depletes our energy stores.

• Take action: Choose foods that help you sustain energy. Exchange coffee for green tea, refined grains for whole, and chips and dip for carrots and hummus.

Mind


• Ask yourself: What is my level of internal stress? Regardless of circumstances or life events, am I generally relaxed and happy, or tense and sad?

• Why: Although life events often affect the way we behave, sometimes the way our mind functions is unrelated to our surroundings. Responding to situations while chronically stressed will tucker you out; feeling happy and calm feeds your energy.

• Take action: Before starting a new activity, take a few moments to center yourself by simply closing your eyes and breathing. Schedule 20 minutes during the day—every day—to "unplug" from the world, whether by meditating or taking a walk.

Sensuality


• Ask yourself: Do I feel connected to my body, sensually and sexually? Do I notice textures that feel good, scents that relax me, and tastes that satisfy me?

• Why: Our five senses are essential for both physical and spiritual survival. When we ignore our senses, we create a primal void that hurts us spiritually.

• Take action: Surround yourself with stimuli that make you happy. Do you love the smell of lavender oil? Dab some on your neck. Does the feel of soil in your hands ground you? Don't just repot your houseplants; dig into the earth.

Spirit


• Ask yourself: Do I feel connected to things bigger than myself? Am I blessed with work that feels meaningful?

• Why: Lives that provide meaning, purpose, and inspiration can be tremendously invigorating, and lack thereof is spiritually draining.

• Take Action: Replenish the connections in your life that fill you with a sense of purpose. Grab a camera and go for a hike, snapping photos of your favorite flowers along the way. Spend a day with a childhood friend. Whether you find inspiration in a church or temple or a star-filled sky, make time for it.

Question: What things do you do to stay energized?

Please leave a comment and we may contact you to appear on the show (your email will be kept confidential)! If you DO NOT want to be contacted, please email us at bodyandsoulchallenge@marthastewart.com.

Comments

[BJ Robinson]

Hello, Alanna Fincke. Thank you very much for this post! It helped me share a very special Mother's Day with my Mom who's lost her working memory due to strokes. Using each of the suggested categories, I asked Mom what she enjoyed, how she felt, what she'd like to do.

Her answers led us to have a nice brunch of granola and fresh fruit, to visit a nursery to buy tomato plants, and to looking over family photo albums. We tried meditating, but Mom's concentration/focusing skills need help, so we listened to music instead. She used to be a classical pianist (and teacher), so that was a meaningful exercise.

From now on, I'm going to use these categories and questions every day to check in on Mom's (as well as my own) well-being. It will be (and already was) an enormous help. Thank you!

Take care. B. J. Robinson