Dealing with challenges in life is like surfing. You get on the wave, and all is great...and then the wave drops out from under you, or it grows into a huge wave and pummels you into the ground. When that happens, you paddle back out, get back up on the board and keep surfing.
Here are some ideas on how to do that:
- Plan, plan, plan: You wouldn't take a trip to climb a mountain or take a vacation to France without planning first. It is THE most essential activity you can do to create health. Plan your day, your week, your month and your schedule in time for the things in your life that support health -- food, fun, sleep, exercise, friends or whatever else puts deposits in your health bank account.
- Think of food first: Most of us are opportunistic eaters -- when the opportunity comes, or when we get hungry, we eat whatever's in our path. In our culture that means junk food, fast food and vending machine "food like substances." We live in a vast nutritional wasteland, a food desert. Every week, plan where you are going to get all your meals. Think ahead; don't end up in a food emergency where the only thing open is a fast food restaurant or convenience store. Think breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. It will become a habit. Plan, shop, prepare, eat. Create an emergency food pack and buy quick-to-cook meals or make whole foods at home.
- Design fun and play into life: McDonald's was good for something -- it gave us the ditty, "You deserve a break today." Think of your day as a canvas and think of how you can paint yourself some fun. Learn new things -- try yoga or dance, or learn a new sport. I like to get my exercise by having fun and playing, not by going to the gym.
- Prioritize sleep: We have a second national debt crisis -- sleep debt. And there is no way to trick biology and raise the debt ceiling. Get at least seven to nine hours sleep a night. Everything in you life will look and feel better and you will make better choices when you do this.
- Avoid drugs: Almost all of us use drugs every day to manage our energy. These include sugar, caffeine, alcohol and more. Think about taking a "drug holiday" for six weeks and see how much better you feel.
- Remember feeling well: When I get off track, I simply remember what it is like to feel great and what I have do to get there -- eat better, sleep more, exercise more or do nothing more!
Some of these habits might not be second nature. But our lives are about the thousand little choices we make every day.
Stresscenter.com's Attacking Anxiety & Depression program was developed by Lucinda Bassett, and Dr. Philip Fisher, MD, who leveraged the skills, methods and techniques of Cognitive Behavioral Modification as the core of the self-treatment process. Since 1983, the program has helped over 1.4 million people to recover from acute stress, anxiety, panic disorder, obsessive worry, and depression.
We invite you to visit Stresscenter to learn more.