To feel my best I need to…
… have frequent meaningful interactions with loved ones
… have a furbaby in my life
… move every day, and workout six days a week
… eat a mostly healthy diet, and not too much food
… get enough sleep
… feel productive at home (and ideally, productive and meaningful at work)
What’s on your list?
This post is brought to you by someone asking me (not meanly… I think?) why I want to run forty miles a week if I am not training for anything. My answer to them – stress management. And it makes me feel my best!
I used to be that person wondering about people who ran often and never raced. When I first started running, I knew of some people who ran five miles a week… just for exercise! I remember thinking “why don’t they do a 5K? They can already run farther than that!!!” Ha, I was young, a new runner, and did not get the allure of exercise to feel good and manage stress. I obviously get that now!
A photo from this morning’s run!
Themocracy
Some people just don’t get runners who run to run because they like it, and because it makes a huge difference in stress levels. You can’t get out there, pound the pavement, get your heart pumping fast, and not feel better afterward…even if it’s a crummy run. I get that now more than ever.
Hope you are doing well today.
Well said! It’s so rare I don’t feel better after a run!
Thanks! I am. Running this morning helped.
I think my list is very close to yours! I had honestly never really thought about it before, but looking over what you’ve written, I know having all of those things consistently makes me much happier than when one is missing. I don’t have a dog, but I know I’m much happier when I’m around one! One of the other therapists at my therapist’s clinic has a dog, and I swear, sometimes just seeing him and petting him for a few minutes is just as effective as an hour long session with my therapist, haha.
I think the next time I feel super meh and it’s not for obvious reasons, I am going to look at this and see what is missing!
OMG, I think YOUR therapist needs a dog TOO!!!! Talking to someone while petting an animal – perfection!!!
I love your list! It’s such a good idea to say these things out loud (or write them down). I think my list would overlap a lot with yours, but now I’m going to go think about what my differences are.
Thanks! I am glad I did. It was actually helpful for me. Let me know what your differences are. Is K-Pop on your list?!
I love this! Let’s see, to feel my best, I need to move my body every day, take my meds, see my friends and family, have time to rest, and hot bubble baths. And probably a bunch of other things that I’m forgetting. 🙂
Great list!!!! YES to hot bubble baths. I haven’t asked you – what do you like to use? I like to use Epsom Salts and sometimes Dr Teals bubble bath, but sometimes a bath bomb 🙂
I agree – I just like to get the miles in too. Its good for me to get about 5-7 miles in a day. Sometimes less, sometimes more. I like to keep it interesting. I am training for a 5k, sort of. But I just enjoy getting up and out in the morning to run.
And what a great way to start your day, right?! When is the 5K you are sort of training for?