Beech Tree News Network

As I’ve mentioned before, my daughters and I have taken advantage of the warm weather to improve our health. It’s common for any one of them to text the rest of us a motivational picture and/or a positive quote. These messages encourage us to continue working to reach our health goals. Pinterest is a great source of information for this purpose.

Recently, my youngest daughter sent me a picture of Sharon Martin’s “A Therapist’s Prescription for Better Mental Health.” This chart contained 27 tips for taking care of oneself. Ten of those tips are listed below followed by my personal thoughts. If you wish to read the entire list, please go to http://sharonmartincounseling.com/a-therapists-prescription-for-better-m....
1.    Be truly present.
Many times I’m not present in the moment – I’m thinking about something else. Perhaps that’s why time seems to fly!
2.    Get outside.
Even though I cannot be in the sun too long, sunlight has health benefits. If bugs are problematic, use bug spray.
3.    Cut yourself some slack.
No one is perfect, and no one can do it all. We all have different gifts or strengths. And we all make mistakes and bad choices (Hindsight is 20/20.).
4.    Make rest a priority.
Years ago, rest was not a priority for me, but I would have functioned so much better had it been. Now, it has become much more important.
5.    Savor good memories.
This is something I have learned, and good memories can be such a blessing.
6.    Appreciate what you have.
Being aware of our blessings helps us to develop a more positive attitude.
7.    Clear out physical and emotional clutter.
After all, who wants to walk around clutter whether it is in a closet or in our hearts?
8.    Move your body more.
The word more simply means stretch yourself a little at a time. Our bodies can do more – by adding small increments over time.
9.    Ask for help when you need it.
No need to be proud: no one can do it all.
10.    You don’t have to do it all; prioritize what matters most.
Critical stuff (family needs, paying bills) comes first, other stuff (laundry, yard work) can be done later (until they become priorities).

Other people have shared their thoughts about caretaking. Some of those are (http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/take_care.html):
•    Be pleasant until ten o'clock in the morning and the rest of the day will take care of itself. --Elbert Hubbard
•    Take care of your body. It's the only place you have to live. --Jim Rohn
•    You've gotta do things that make you happy. As women, we tend to give away a lot. We take care of a lot of people, and we can't forget to take care of ourselves. --Jennifer Lopez
•    Do the hard jobs first. The easy jobs will take care of themselves. --Dale Carnegie
•    Become a worry-slapper. Treat frets like mosquitoes. Do you procrastinate when a bloodsucking bug lights on your skin? 'I'll take care of it in a moment.' Of course you don't! You give the critter the slap it deserves. Be equally decisive with anxiety. --Max Lucado

Additionally, healthy living includes being aware of stress. Even though we all have stress in life, sometimes stress can become unhealthy. The Mayo Clinic website posted an article about how chronic stress can put health at risk. After explaining the stress response, the authors stated that long-term activation of the stress-response system can disrupt almost all the body's processes. This puts a person at increased risk of numerous health problems, including: anxiety, depression, digestive problems, headaches, heart disease, sleep problems, weight gain, and memory and concentration impairment (http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/s...). So, learning healthy ways to cope with stressors is important. Sometimes it’s best to seek medical advice.

Taking care of ourselves involves both physical and mental health. After all, the two are connected. A good place to start might be with Sharon Martin’s mental health tips. And as Max Lucado said, we need to become worry-slappers. May you have good health!