Take Care of You

Never give up; you never know until you try.

I know the title of this post is bad grammar, but that just draws attention to the message. For those who have seen the Richard Gere movie “Pretty Woman,” you might recognize the admonition as the one “Kit” and “Vivian” exchange when they’re saying goodbye to each other, whether it’s for a “date” or at the end of the movie, when “Vivian” decides to leave Hollywood and her life of prostitution behind and start over in San Francisco.

Why am I bringing it up, you may ask? There are 2 reasons:
• I got a reminder of it myself at a seminar Tuesday night.
• I think we all need periodic reminders.

Because:
• We often don’t do it.

Life comes at us fast. That’s such a “given” that it’s now an insurance company slogan. We all do so much, for so many people, that there’s often nothing left for us. We’re stressed out, burned out, and if it continues, tuned out, because we can’t go on full-throttle forever. Something gives, and it can easily be our bodies and/or our minds that just quit on us because we’ve demanded so much of them. Too much.

I’ve written about this before: we don’t expect cars to go without gas, but we expect ourselves to go without proper rest, nutrition, recreation, and spiritual support. We shouldn’t expect anything--our cars,and even more--our bodies, minds, and souls to keep going like a certain battery’s bunny mascot.

Remember Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, which I’ve talked about, as well. Without the basics of security, we can’t reach our full potential. With a horrible economy and unemployment rates in the stratosphere, many people’s basic security is threatened to begin with. Many are homeless or living hand-to-mouth, wondering if they’ll be homeless in a month, or 2, or 3. Many don’t have health insurance, reliable transportation, or any of the many things so many people take for granted.

That’s why it’s extra important to do what we can to take care of ourselves. So, to the best of your ability, I ask everyone to:
• Consume the most nutritious food and beverages you can, in healthful amounts.
• Get proper healthcare, including mental health if necessary. Depression is real, and there’s no shame in needing help with it, any more than there’s shame in having a broken leg set.
• Get proper rest.
• Exercise every day, even if it’s a 10-minute walk. The endorphins will boost your mood and help you rest better.
• Seek God—He’ll meet you where you are. You don’t have to get all polished up first.
• Spend time talking and/or playing with friends. Make new ones when you can.
• Find a hobby or other leisure activity you enjoy and make sure you put it into your schedule.
• Avoid placing blame. Just do what you can to “take care of you.”