Mission Punxsutawney: Savoring This Time
Author: be well™ with Big Y® Registered Dietitian Team
Groundhog day, schmoundhog day. Creating a happy, healthy state of mind out of Phil’s shadow.
Will the squishy, large, squirrel-like marmot see his shadow in Punxsutawney? Will spring be right around the corner or will we have to endure 6 more weeks of winter?
Endure is a strong sentiment. If you’re feeling a bit blue and your patience is wearing thin with the days of winter, how about shifting your focus from enduring to savoring. Savor this time as a phase of rest and self-reflection.
Take Care of Your Mind.
There’s a lot coming at you from one day to the next. Your brain weeds through all of this stimulation, information and emotion and needs to regroup. Your brain’s regroup time happens while you sleep. Simply put— your brain needs you to sleep so it can refresh itself, remove toxins and process the learnings of the day.
If, on average, you don’t get enough sleep, you’re setting yourself up for a foggy mind, impaired memory and, eventually, increased disease risk.
Mission Punxsutawney Self-Care Step #1.
Curate healthier sleep hygiene. Learn more in our article “Bringing Sleep Back.”
Take Care of Your Perception.
Oftentimes, especially when feeling in a “funk,” we can overemphasize the negative of situations. If you’re feeling this happening, hit the pause button. Instead of reacting or labeling situations and people, take a moment to breathe and reflect:
- How are you showing up for those around you and yourself?
- Are you a walking timebomb of pent-up tension?
- Are you giving people the benefit of the doubt or already sizing them up with the story you’ve created in your head?
Remember, no one is perfect, and most are not self-aware— even you. These are helpful truths to consider when people fall short of expectations or hurt your feelings. Most people aren’t out to upset you, they’re just doing the best they can while managing their own to-dos.
Lean into the path of love and choose optimism more often than the path of resentment and pessimism. You just may be astonished how the world around you changes with you, resulting in brighter days well before the arrival of spring.
Mission Punxsutawney Self-Care Step #2.
Reflect upon how you show up to situations and right your course when necessary.
Published 1/30/2023