How are you generous to yourself?

Take a deep breath, pinch your nose and hold your breath, we are going deeper than just buying yourself a craft beer or a pedicure after a long week at the office. The pressure to be Mary Poppins and "perfect in every way," is tough to achieve. The things on our to-do list are legion. It's only proper to finish the MBA, ensure the beach body abs are rock solid, an empty email inbox, kids in the right sports with perfect A's while being respectful and cheerful. The house and lawn remain tidy and blue birds ride on your shoulder as you whistle you way home.

I live in the DC suburbs, and the area is full of movers and shakers seeking to make a difference. The air within the beltway is thick with the requirement to perform. Those that have moved away report the need to decompress and normalize, before appreciating the new hometown. Social media only fuels the fire. I post the beautiful pictures of things that are going well, and so do my friends. The stories of failure are seemingly deleted with a touch on the screen, but the expectations of a perfect life remain. 

Our complicated lives need care in all facets, and it is not limited to more time on the treadmill. Author and businesswoman, Arianna Huffington wrote a book on the importance of sleep following a physical collapse due to exhaustion. Prayer has been a longstanding practice to recenter life's priorities and calibrate worry. The practice of meditation has exploded over the last couple of years as proponents have realized a twofer, better health and increased productivity. Consumption of soft drinks and smoking continue a downward trend indicating many are making healthier choices. The collective we, are starting to pay attention to the whole person, making these topics more widely accepted to address publicly.

What does it look like for you? What are the systems you have in place to relieve daily stress? How do you prevent yourself from getting stuck in the quagmire of perfectionism? Who watches out for you, so you don't spiral into depression when things become too much? What is a concrete step you can take to be generous to you? These answers may include doing less and not adding other things to the list of must do's. You are important and we want you around a long time. The world wants your best and that is delivered through a health body, mind and spirit. Be generous to you.

YouTube Link: How are you generous to yourself?

When did you last marvel at your body?

Regardless of the presence or absence of six-pack abs, perfect skin or pearly white teeth right now, how do you appreciate this physical body? 

The world demands that we are physically never enough and there is always room for growth. But, for the next two minutes, let's suspend any need to change our diet or exercise program and appreciate the body we have. This is not the time for judgment, comparison or self-loathing, but appreciation. This physical frame has carried you through childhood, the tumultuous teen years, the drunken college years to where you are today.

If my body was a car, I would have been on the side of the road a long time ago. Consider how carefully you have fed the machine the specific diet it requires. Consider the exercise and maintenance you have consistently provided to keep the organs and muscles running efficiently. Consider the mental and spiritual care you have provided to nourish the inner self. Consider the chemical concoctions the body has overcome while living a life of anxiety and stress in the modern world. The bodies insistence to stay alive through a lifetime of trauma and abuse is breathtaking. 

We have witnessed the spectrum of people that thrive because of, and in some cases in spite of, their physical bodies. We cheer the one to break the marathon finish line tape for their training and physical prowess. Then we wait and applaud those that finish last to cheer on their tenacity, despite their limitations. Flex your hand and admire the musculature that moves the fingers. Count your heartbeats for a minute and recognize you don't have to will each beat. Consider the complexity of balance and coordination to walk from room to room. Internalize that a marvelous work is staring back in the mirror and this remarkable being is like no other. This marvel is enough to be celebrated. 

Going Further: What trauma has your body healed from? When were you surprised by your bodies performance? What is a nuance of your body? When did your body perform optimally? What would appreciation for you body look like? What other question comes to mind?