Seven things that create power

It doesn’t take much perception to find that we, as a culture, are stressed out.  The world is full of chaos and difficulty and we get tired fighting the forces of evil around us, whether in the form of potential genocide or just the usual Thursday parking homicidal tendencies.  I do firmly believe that it is up to us to make the world a better place.  Developing solutions to the large political and social problems we face is well beyond the scope of my practice, but I can say that we have to do some self-care in order to be able to address the issues.  Here are seven things we can do to empower ourselves.

1.     Breathe heavy.  Cardio exercise reduces stress, improves mood, and helps us build the stamina we need to take on our personal challenges.

2.     Get strong.  On a metaphorical level, when we strengthen our bodies, we practice strength of character.  Physically, we increase our lean body mass, reduce our chances of bone loss, and improve our chances of living a long life.

3.     Drink water.  Dehydrated people are crabby people.  That lady who cut you off in the parking lot was probably dehydrated, as was that guy who was so rude to you at work.  Also, if we are drinking enough water, we’re probably eating and drinking fewer calories and fighting the sugar industrial complex.

4.     Eat food.  This goes with the previous point about fighting the sugar industrial complex.  We all have times when it seems just too hard to cook and we find ourselves in the drive-through line or eating Spaghettios at the kitchen counter or a pint of ice cream in the bathtub.  The goal is to minimize those times with a little planning and a good amount of leafy greens.  It’s good for our bodies and the planet.

5.     Sleep.  We need to binge watch the inside of our eyelids from time to time instead of yet more cooking shows, cop dramas, or Star Trek reruns.  Sleep is necessary for lots of body processes.

6.     Meditate.  Meditation, prayer, and ritual can create small spaces of sanity in an insane world.  Even a few minutes of breathing before we put the car in gear to drive home can help.

7.     Connect.  Hug somebody.  Pick up the phone.  Write a letter.  Join a group.  We need each other more than ever right now.