Resources: Articles
February 2009: Health - Your Most Valuable Asset
Is anyone else tired of being constantly bombarded with messages of doom and gloom these days? I don't dispute the fact that these are trying times (trust me I started two businesses in the past year, I am not immune to the economic downturn) but I do think that no one has ever gotten ahead focusing on the negative and that collectively we must remain positive.
I read a statistic the other day that stated that during the last two economic downturns, services like the food and entertainment industries suffered the greatest declines while the health care industry saw an increase of 29%. This fact illustrates how easily emotional stress can turn into physical stress which often times leads to poor health or illness. As we tighten our purse strings many of us our letting go of a lot of activities that help provide relaxation and enjoyment to our lives. I think that fiscal responsibility is definitely a wise choice right now but I also think it needs to come with a shift in thinking. People have to start being a little more creative about how they blow off steam after a less than stellar day to combat the potential ill effects that carrying stress may have on ones health. So, opposed to going to the movies or out for dinner, what else can you do??? Here are some suggestions:
- Exercise. You don't need an expensive gym membership to reap the benefits of adrenaline and sweat to combat stress. Grabbing a jump rope or just do jumping jacks for 10 minutes (on & off if necessary) can make a huge difference.
- Go for a long walk while listening to some of your favorite music
- Ask a few friends what their favorite books are and then borrow a copy from them or the library.
- Get a good night sleep. Your body and your mind are much more vulnerable to the negative effects of stress when you are tired.
- Bust out an old board game or a deck of cards and spend some quality time with your family and/or friends. Getting back to basics is a great way of reminding ourselves what is really important in life.
- Take a long hot bath with some nice quiet music playing.
- Depending on your weather, get outside and go bike riding, sledding, hiking alone or with someone whose company you enjoy.
- If you have kids, plan an activity that will make them laugh. Throw a dance party in your kitchen, have a pillow fight, their laughter is bound to be contagious.
- Finish a project that you have had on your list of things to do for a very long time. The feeling of accomplishment that you will get will be well worth it.
Your mental health is just as important as your physical health these days. They go hand in hand; therefore, we need to take control of the one thing that we can right now at that is our attitudes. BE POSITIVE, smile, pay someone a compliment, make someone else laugh, and make a list of the 10 best things that are in your life (I will bet that they don't come with expensive price tags)!! Just remember the next time you read the headlines or watch the news that this too shall pass and when it does we want to make sure that we still have our most valuable asset: OUR HEALTH!