Four-Legged Stool
Today I am grateful for early morning quiet and for laughter among colleagues. Laughter can be a good diffuser of stress. I am also grateful for my co-worker Judy and the gift of five puppies she brought to school to share yesterday. The kids and adults alike loved them!
At my school this week we are celebrating Wellness Week. Planning and carrying out the week's activities are the jobs of a group I co-advise. Our theme this year is "Aloha Wellness!" With the harsh winter we have been having, it's been nice to be reminded of the warmth and color (other than white) that will one day return to Minnesota.
I think recognizing overall wellness is very important. It is like a four-legged stool, with physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects serving as the legs. Health in all of those areas makes for a strong and sturdy stool that can stand in a balanced fashion, even in rough times.
Most of us do well in some of these four areas, and even if one leg is weaker, a three-legged stool is still steady. But if only three legs are strong, and something unexpected comes along to weaken another leg, a two-legged stool becomes wobbly and topples.
Most of us, me included, have room for improvement in these four areas. Some that are stronger already and some that need to be fortified. The key is to know this about yourself and to keep the four legs in good working order.
I believe that health in one area-physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual-promotes health in the other areas. I believe they are all interrelated. Running is obviously physical, but it clears my head, helps me work off strong emotions, and gives me time to ponder what I am grateful for, one step at a time. I consider gratitude to be part of what strengthens all four legs, but for me it is most grounded in the spiritual component. Prayer is obviously spiritual, but it helps quiet my racing mind, gives me compassion for others, and lowers my heart rate when I pause to think of others through prayer.
I have been thinking about this lately, not only with Wellness Week at school, but also with our 5-day cleanse and our efforts to eat better. "You are what you eat" is a true phrase. I am not a terrible eater, but this is one area that I have ample room for improvement. Proper fuel in the physical realm helps fuel health in the other realms. Fresh fruits and vegetables give my body the proper fuel to exercise, give me pause to thank the others who helped bring this food in front of me, are less likely to make my mind race or drag than refined sugar does, and tend to keep my emotions on a more even keel.
Today I will think about my best practices in all four areas of wellness. I mentioned a few above. What are your best practices? Is your four-legged stool standing strong, or does a leg or two need to be shored up? What are you waiting for?
At my school this week we are celebrating Wellness Week. Planning and carrying out the week's activities are the jobs of a group I co-advise. Our theme this year is "Aloha Wellness!" With the harsh winter we have been having, it's been nice to be reminded of the warmth and color (other than white) that will one day return to Minnesota.
I think recognizing overall wellness is very important. It is like a four-legged stool, with physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects serving as the legs. Health in all of those areas makes for a strong and sturdy stool that can stand in a balanced fashion, even in rough times.
Most of us do well in some of these four areas, and even if one leg is weaker, a three-legged stool is still steady. But if only three legs are strong, and something unexpected comes along to weaken another leg, a two-legged stool becomes wobbly and topples.
Most of us, me included, have room for improvement in these four areas. Some that are stronger already and some that need to be fortified. The key is to know this about yourself and to keep the four legs in good working order.
I believe that health in one area-physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual-promotes health in the other areas. I believe they are all interrelated. Running is obviously physical, but it clears my head, helps me work off strong emotions, and gives me time to ponder what I am grateful for, one step at a time. I consider gratitude to be part of what strengthens all four legs, but for me it is most grounded in the spiritual component. Prayer is obviously spiritual, but it helps quiet my racing mind, gives me compassion for others, and lowers my heart rate when I pause to think of others through prayer.
I have been thinking about this lately, not only with Wellness Week at school, but also with our 5-day cleanse and our efforts to eat better. "You are what you eat" is a true phrase. I am not a terrible eater, but this is one area that I have ample room for improvement. Proper fuel in the physical realm helps fuel health in the other realms. Fresh fruits and vegetables give my body the proper fuel to exercise, give me pause to thank the others who helped bring this food in front of me, are less likely to make my mind race or drag than refined sugar does, and tend to keep my emotions on a more even keel.
Today I will think about my best practices in all four areas of wellness. I mentioned a few above. What are your best practices? Is your four-legged stool standing strong, or does a leg or two need to be shored up? What are you waiting for?
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