Human living…
Dec 30, 2021
Have you heard people say that you aren’t a human doing, that you are a human being as an explanation for why you need to slow down and just ‘be’ more often? I like that explanation, but it only takes us so far. How can you live in your life of responsibilities of work, finances, family, pets, friends, etc., and just ‘be’? I’m not sure… Working on that. So, until I become enlightened, here are my thoughts, in-process: introducing, the concept that you are a human living…
While walking the snowy labyrinth at Breitenbush Hot Springs a couple of weeks ago, a thought came to me:
Human doing? No…
that’s not living according to values and doesn’t reflect all your mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical parts. Too busy.
Human being? Yes, and…
that seems to be an incomplete thought for existing in our modern world…
How about Human Living?
‘Human living’ encourages you to live your contemporary life that is in alignment with your current responsibilities AND your innate physiology…
What does a day in the life of a ‘human living’ look like? Here are some opportunities to consider if they align with your values and physiology… and, of course, with the level of privilege you have in the world to allow the flexibility of your daily design.
Do NOT do ALL of the things at once! What are 1-3 that you can do to begin?
Start exploring these today and see what a profound impact they can make on how you feel – emotionally, mentally, and physically 🙂 Feeling intimidated? Get support!
- Wake with the sun or before your alarm within the same hour or so each morning to reinforce your circadian rhythm
- Take a few belly breaths while saying aloud or in your head 3 things for which you are grateful
- Hydrate (water, herbal tea, with or without lemon or apple cider vinegar, if you like) to offset the dehydration that happens overnight
- Take time to stretch or move your body in a way that feels good before you start the rest of your day
- Take 3-5 deep belly breaths before breakfast to help your body enter your meal in a rest & digest state
- Eat breakfast (let your intuition guide your choices – can’t hear your intuition? Let’s work on that!)
- Design your daily work tasks to include the most challenging (or dreaded) during the hours that you are your best
- Hydrate throughout the day, so that you are urinating every few hours, pale yellowish to clear. Less frequently or darker than that and you may be dehydrated. More frequently or always clear, you may be over-hydrating.
- Take the time while you are on the toilet to practice deep breathing, mindfulness, or to do a few squats before you sit – plugging a new habit into something that happens each day already helps to make that new habit stick!
- Take visual breaks each hour where you focus far away, across the street, next door, across the room, and up-close. Allow those eye muscles to get some exercise!
- Take a walk at lunch to get your body moving and to reconnect with nature
- Take 3-5 deep belly breaths before lunch to help your body enter your meal in a rest & digest state
- Eat lunch that contains some protein and fiber so that you can support stable blood sugar throughout your afternoon
- Take 3-5 deep belly breaths before dinner to help your body enter your meal in a rest & digest state
- Eat dinner with friends or family (not with the news!)
- Create a space in the evenings for your body to feel safe and secure; slow down and dim the lights to create a mindful transition to bedtime. Create a bedtime routine to help your body power down
- Consider an evening application of castor oil to your abdomen for circulatory, digestive, nervous, and immune systems support
- Make a point to stay off screens for an hour before bed… use this time to read, write, listen to or play music, call a friend…
- Learn about how your chemical exposure (plastics, pesticides, herbicides, hormone disruptors, cancer-causing agents, etc) may be affecting your health and make choices to minimize these exposures.
Few of us are privileged enough to live like this 100%, every day. Again, You CANNOT do ALL of the things, all at once, but move through the list 1-3 things at a time… make progress towards living a life that’s in alignment with your physiology.