Our society has placed emphasis on self-care and the consequences of compassion fatigue.  Our fast past, just do it, strive and stretch pace have caught up with us.  We attend workshops and read articles on how to better care for ourselves so we can reach our potential while helping and serving others.  The proverbial balance.  I’m restless one night and decide to listen to one of the top ten TED talks.  Strange way to relax, but I love a good talk, lecture, or sermon.  I decided to listen to a TED talk that will add about 7 minutes to my day and ten years to my life.  Really?!  I’ll give you the link at the bottom of this post.  I need more time.  I’m interested.

At 48 years old, life has passed me by pretty fast.  Decisions I made ten, twenty, thirty years ago are being played out in my life.  Children are older, marriage has more life experiences and circumstances, moves,  health of loved ones, jobs, careers, friendships….I’m not 20 something anymore.  And, not to be morbid or negative, but things happen, things change, and people leave this world.  So, I was intrigued when she (the TED talk speaker) researched the top five regrets of the dying.

Top 5 Regrets of the dying:

I wished I hadn’t work so hard.

I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

I wish I would have let myself be happier.

I wish I would have had the courage to express my true self.

I wish I would have lived my life true to my dreams versus what other’s expected of me.

From this research, she discovered four things you can do every day to lengthen your life and rid yourself of regrets.  She created these tasks and made it a game to help heal her brain from a traumatic brain injury that left her bedridden.  I’m not going to share anything new that you don’t already know.  That’s the beauty of my deepest connection with this TED talk in the late hours of the night.  I’m going to try to explain it because I just feel like there is someone who can be a witness to what I’m conveying.  I listened to this lady and thought–“I do that.” Most of us “do that”.  Yep–got that.  Hmmmmm hummmmm.  Got it.

What connected was celebrate the fact you DO take care of yourself and it’s meaningful.  The small things count, and your on purpose attempts to bring joy is all worth it.  You are going to be way okay.  More than okay.

What was proof in my journey was spending a Saturday after in which God said–“See right here…that’s how you care for yourself and others…..I’m here….always….showing you…..do you see me, Anna?”

You’ve got to know your “enemies”–what brings you stress.  And, equally you’ve got to know your “power ups”. Another way to look at it is post-traumatic GROWTH.  There is no claim that the illness or situation will change but you can feel better and connect to others in a more positive way.  So here is to our health!

Here are four areas to power up!

PHYSICAL RESILIENCE

Never sit for more than one hour.  Get up.  Move.  She suggests two activities.  Either make a fist with your hands and lift them over your head for five seconds, or stand up and take three steps.  Do both if you can!

That Saturday I worked in my garden and found frogs trapped who needed rescuing.  Birds feeding little baby birds who were hurt and needed care.  I moved, worked, observed, and purposefully counted it as meaningful, not a duty.

MENTAL RESILIENCE

Snap your fingers exactly 50 times or count backwards from 100 by 7’s (100, 93).  Activating our will power gives us courage.

I took time to reflect on my classes, and God’s purposeful teaching in my life.  On purpose studied God’s Word and applied it to my life.  Simple.  On purpose.

EMOTIONAL RESILIENCE

If you are inside find a window and look out of it.  If you are outside find a window and look in.  Or, search the web or Youtube for baby animal images (any baby animals).  This activates our curiosity and love. Remember to seek out three positive emotions for every negative and you will dramatically improve your health and any problem you are facing.

This was the best!  My husband sent this picture to me via text from the Chick-fil-a line!  I just exploded with laughter.  Grounded in joy.

SOCIAL RESILIENCE

Shake someone’s hand for 6 seconds or send a thank you message text or twitter to someone.

You get more strength from family and friends.  Gratitude and touch releases oxytocin, the trust hormone.  We are biochemically aligned to connect and work cooperatively.

Saturday morning God brought friends and family to mind to text and reach out to naturally.  It all counts.

One of the baby pictures she showed on the TED talk was my baby elephant picture from a previous post that brought such joy to my soul.

 

Saturday was a day filled with taking the time to make sure I nurtured these areas–purposeful.  That’s the key. When we are purposeful in small things and celebrate within our souls, we gain the strength and joy we need to feel better and accomplish the task at hand.