A Daily Practice
Even though most of us don’t have summer “off” like we did as children, there is still that sense when summer hits. We want to get outside. We want vacation. We want longer weekends. We want that feeling of freedom.
The great thing about summer is that there is so much more to do and seemingly more free time.
But, there are challenges with that, too. More parties. More vacations. More opportunities to challenge our healthy habits.
So, how do we navigate the “open air” of summer while staying grounded in our healthy routines?
Defining a Win
Leopoldo Lopez is a Venezuelan political leader, who spent four years in a military prison under solitary confinement.
I first heard his story on the Simon Sinek podcast, “A Bit of Optimism.” Lopez shared that while in confinement, he decided he would “win the day.” So, everyday he had three goals and if he achieved these three goals he could win the day.
I absolutely love this strategy.
Hear Lopez’s story in his own words. He wrote two books while in prison. Writing was not part of his daily win strategy. But isn’t it amazing that his simple daily wins helped to propel him to accomplish something so remarkable?
Lopez’s goals were to:
Exercise. He knew that keeping up his physical strength would also keep up his mental strength.
Read. He read to keep his mind sharp.
Pray. More specifically, he said a prayer of gratitude. He did not pray for his release. He simply named one thing he was grateful for. Separated from his family, it was often gratitude for their love.
You see what he did there? Mind, body, spirit.
Create Your Goals
So let’s do it. Let’s create your winning strategy for summer. Mind, body and joy.
The idea is not to create a new stretch goal. The idea is to establish a pattern of behavior so that you feel your best.
Here are a few ideas:
Mind
*I will start the day with a positive mantra.
*I will meditate every morning.
*I will get outside everyday. Read this article, for reminders on why it’s important to get outside.
*I will read for 20 minutes before bedtime.
*I will turn off my phone 1 hour before bedtime.
Body
*I will eat one fermented food a day.
*I will eat my vegetables first.
*I will drink 8 glasses of water.
*I will move every day. Walking, yoga, biking, dance party. It all counts as movement.
Joy
*I will name one gratitude every day.
*I will give 4-12 hugs a day.
*I will send one message of love a day (a phone call, an email, a text, a social media post/comment).
Download this free worksheet and get ready to win summer.
May your summer days be filled with sunshine. May your summer nights be filled with sweet dreams.
Be well, my lovelies.
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