About 10 years ago, we all remember wishing that we had the energy of a 7-10 year old. It is true that after 40 the body starts slow down a little but did you know that there is a way that you can remain unstoppable. Let’s say that you have figured out what you want to in life and you have settled into a house, are married and have 2.5 kids. In what areas do you feel you had more energy or more of yourself to give?
I like to look at areas that I get comfortable in and then make new choice. I love anything that is comfortable. This is why I love yoga. You are never comfortable or uncomfortable, the goal is to maintain a steady mind but a steady mind is not going from point A to point B in one straight line. I want to share some things that could possibly help anyone that wants to start to feel unstoppable.
1. Start a Routine
Routines can be a very helpful tool when trying to figure out what it is that is draining you or useless to you in your daily activities. I started to notice how much Netflix I was watching in a week or even in a single day. I started turning the television off while I working on projects or things that required my attention. I came to the realization that my mind was constantly trying to do two things at once. Once I finished the project or during breaks, I noticed that I was mentally more tired than I had began.
You have theoretically 16 hours to fill with all sorts of things with room for exactly 8 hours of sleep. How much of your day to fill with nonsense or things that literally work against you in your goals and what you want to achieve? I started writing everything that I was doing down in a journal listing the times that I did those things. Writing all your activities will bring to light certain triggers that you are feeling at certain times.
2. Eat Right
I am constantly worried about my weight and what the right thing to eat is. Several months ago, a friend of mine gave me a list of foods to eat and avoid as per my body type. I noticed that I was eating many foods that were not good for me. I have also cut down significantly on my meat consumption, maybe once every 2 weeks. I have been eating eggs every morning as a source of protein because lentils have not been doing for me. So, more power to the people that have cut out even eggs. Thinking of food as fuel instead of comfort helps you be more satisfied with what you eat.
Many, if not all nutritionist, will tell you that a balanced meal is one with carbohydrates, proteins and healthy fats. Cooking at home with simple ingredients lets you control the amount of oil and the proportion that you intake. Eating these at consistent times during the day will not only set you into a routine. I found that my body also started to form a routine of when it was hungry helping me to focus on other things instead of craving things like samosas and dosa.
3. Take Time for Recreation
Recreation is essential for a fulfilled life. Recreation does not include watching television, reading a book or anything that is using the brain to process or retain information. Taking a walk, playing with your dogs, playing a musical instrument or engaging in any hobby for your own enjoyment is the goal here. This should be a time where there are no right or wrong answers.
Many times we leave our jobs only to start our other full-time jobs in the home. Going to the grocery store, running the kids to all their functions and going board meetings fills the time that should be used to decompress from all the emotions and problem solving that has happened throughout the day. Instead we finish all these activities, eat and retreat to the couch or to the bed only to start all over again. Recreation is important to let go of any emotions that you may be holding on to from a conflict with a coworker or manager.
All of these things will help you in becoming unstoppable. The only person that can truly stop us is ourselves and we usually do that by exhausting ourselves of our own resources leaving us feel depleted at the end of the day. When we create a specific routine that serves us, we find purpose in the things that fill up our day. When we think of food as fuel we lose the food coma during the middle of the day. Then, when we take time for recreation, end the day doing something that we love and usually discover our gratefulness for everything that surrounds us.