March 18, 2025

Ready to start this Tuesday!

Let us get started.

Too much of one thing can end up creating stress; this is something that no one needs in their life.

But living a life in balance can provide harmony and peace.

Today Dan and I will explore the fourth step to achieving a balanced life, embrace self-care.

Self-care is not selfish; it is a necessity.

Taking time for yourself, both mentally and physically, allows you to recharge and be more present in all aspects of your life.

Self-care encompasses both your mental and physical well-being.

 It involves practices that help you relax, recharge, and rejuvenate.

Mentally, self-care can involve activities like meditation, journaling, or simply spending time in quiet reflection.

These practices help calm your mind, reduce stress, and enhance your emotional well-being.

Physically, self-care includes activities like exercise, getting adequate rest, and maintaining a balanced diet.

These practices are essential for your physical health and vitality.

Tomorrow we will continue steps to achieve a balanced life.

WALKING

Are you taking your exercise indoors because you do not like the heat, wet, or cold outdoors?

You do not have to stop walking.

There are options and tactics to keep walking indoors that Dan and I do.

Mall Walking

Most malls open early for walkers, as do some larger stores.

Mall walking offers a more social atmosphere than walking on a treadmill or indoor track, and with a chance to window shop and stop at the coffee stand.

You can easily walk with friends or make new friends with the other mall walkers.

Many walkers appreciate feeling more secure in the mall, away from traffic, and having access to restrooms and water.

The floors are usually underlain with concrete, so you may want to wear a more cushioned shoe than you would for a treadmill.

Time for your walk to finish when the stores open, especially during the holiday season when the mall will fill up fast with shoppers.

If you are looking for a faster-paced walking workout, this may not be the best venue.

Many mall walkers prefer slower paces and there may be more people and obstacles like benches, plants, and kiosks to navigate as you are walking.

Video Walking Indoors

Leslie Sansone has a series of indoor walking workout videos designed for those with limited space to get a walking workout without a treadmill.

All you need to do is clear a space in front of the TV or computer monitor and play video on You Tube or DVD.

You will be led through a workout that includes marching in place along with movements like side steps, kicks, and knee lifts.

It requires a bit more coordination than regular walking, but these workouts burn calories and tone muscles.

If you are training for a long walk, these videos do not substitute for training outdoors or on a treadmill as different muscles are worked.

Treadmill and Gym

A treadmill is an exercise machine most likely to be used in a gym.

You do not need to learn anything new, just turn it on and hop on, adjust the speed and off you go.

You may be tempted to hold onto the handrails at first, but you will get the most benefit of walking hands-free as you do outdoors.

Use your treadmill time to work on your walking posture, heel strike, and roll through each step.

With being able to control the speed and not having to navigate curbs and obstacles, this is a great opportunity to hone your walking form.

This 10-minute guided meditation will focus on balancing your body's seven main Chakras, through a form of energy healing that focuses on channeling your life force energy throughout your body.

These chakras can emit positive energy which can extend out into our daily lives.

 Each chakra has a specific purpose, and over time your energy can stop flowing freely and cause the Charka(s) to become blocked or imbalanced.

Freeing up the flow of this energy can leave you feeling very satisfied and in a relaxed state.

Enjoy!

Until Wednesday, to live a more balanced life, glance at the past,

live in the present and focus on the future.