INSPIRATION GAL Take Care of Yourself

By Inspiration Gal | January 17, 2011 | Relationships

When I was a child, my mother kept a magnet the dentist had given us on the refrigerator. It was a huge tooth with his number and address in the middle. At the bottom of the tooth it said, ΓÇ£Ignore your teeth and they will go away.ΓÇ¥

I was very young when we got the magnet and didnΓÇÖt quite understand what it meant until my mother explained that if you do not brush your teeth, floss and see the dentist, your teeth will fall out!

Since then, IΓÇÖve tried to be good about taking care of my teeth for fear that IΓÇÖd one day have none. As I get older, I realize itΓÇÖs not just our teeth that will ΓÇÿgo awayΓÇÖ if we do not care for them. Your whole body will revolt if you do not take care of it.

Your body gives you clues about when it has had too much of something, and when it needs more. Listen to the clues! When you drink too much, you have a hangover the next day. When you eat too much, you put on weight. When you donΓÇÖt sleep enough, you are tired and feel drained. For me personally, if I donΓÇÖt relax enough, my joints tense up and I wake up in the morning with a backache.

The best way to keep your body and mind happy is to eat right and exercise. In addition, I urge you to take time to enjoy your favorite pastime, whether itΓÇÖs watching a good movie, reading a book or cooking. You must see your doctor once a year (for women) and go to the dentist twice a year. And get plenty of sleep. Perhaps you donΓÇÖt have enough time to sleep? Then your priorities are way off. Think about it: What makes more sense, washing the dishes tomorrow or being unproductive at work because you were up washing dishes? How about this: get a good night’s rest, get up early and do the dishes, then go to work refreshed and knowing that with one the day’s activities completed, you’re in the right mindset to be productive all day long!

Enjoy some quiet timeΓÇötake time to reflect on your goals, meditate on positive thoughts or sit in prayer. Even if itΓÇÖs just a few minutes after the children go to bed, those few minutes will help you feel relaxed and refreshed.

And finally, listen to the clues that your body gives you. If you are constantly tired, get more sleep. If you are feeling fat, cut down on your caloric intake.

We are quick to make sure that our spouses, children and even our dogs are taken care of, but what about you? How much good are you to your loved ones if you are miserable because you are in pain, or sluggish because you are tired? Make taking care of your own body and mind a priority, and watch how it makes everything in your life better.