You may recall the old saying “ignore your health and it will go away.” This post is about moving in another direction. Take a moment now to think about what makes you feel good. Is it deep breathing on your coffee break? Meditation? A cup of green tea in the morning? A bath before bedtime? Discovering your favorite author has released another book? A half hour of alone time to read that book? Sending someone an unexpected card or letter or note? Elevating your feet for 15 minutes each day? A class at your local gym or recreation center? A walk with your dog? Bedtime stories with your children? A massage? A facial? A sauna or steam session? Homemade salad dressing? Vegetables from your own garden? An evening of dancing? An evening at the ballet? Swim class?

what makes you feel good

You get the idea - make a note of what makes you feel good. And do it regularly! Schedule ‘feel good’ time into your calendar if you need to, or buddy up with a friend and participate together for encouragement. Find a teacher or coach to work with if there’s something you want to learn about.

If you aren’t sure what makes you feel good, try something from the list above (for starters) and PAY ATTENTION to how you feel. Your body will tell you if you are going in the right direction - listen to that message. If, as an example, removing your shoes, lying down and placing your feet on a pillow or wall (higher than the level of your heart) during a break in your day makes you feel more relaxed or energized, more alert or simply better in general, make note of that and do it again the next day. And the day after that!

Health benefits

Feeling good, whether it’s more relaxed, energized, centered, or connected with yourself is important. It can decrease stress hormones, promote better sleep, benefit your heart and so on; feeling good is beneficial to both body and mind. Finding your healthy involves getting to know what makes you feel good, and doing those activities regularly. The next level or step can include amplifying those ‘feel good’ effects.

Amplify your Healthy

You are an individual; your healthy is going to be unique and personal to you. Perhaps a course offered by an expert on your favorite topic would start your amplification process. Or including essential oils in your meditation. Adding micro-current or laser therapy into your facial to leave your skin hydrated and lifted is another option. Ask a Chiropractor about the benefits of laser or Shockwave therapy to a treatment session. Add laser therapy to your dental cleanings (dental cleanings may not make you feel good, but healthy teeth and gums are very important to other aspects of your wellness!) Enrich your bedtime bath with quality bath salts to help you unwind, relax, and fall asleep. Listen to a podcast while you walk your dog. Have a discussion with a Naturopath about active forms of vitamins or supplements that may benefit your body and energy level. For those of you whom work on a computer regularly (as I do), try adding Essentrics Classical Stretch exercises into your routine to loosen tension and help with posture. The list goes on; that said, it all starts with you paying attention to your body and mood, and moving forward from there.