Taking Charge of Your To Do List

Each day we are responsible for a long list of to-do’s.  Make your bed, take a shower, brush your teeth, feed the dog, pay the bills, get to work on time, grocery shop and cook dinner, just to name a few.  Our “must-do” list is longer than ever.  And now with our new-found rules to live by, we have even more on our daily to do list. Wear your mask, sanitize your hands and social distance.  It’s daunting to process all of our to-do’s let alone comply with them. It’s as though we move mindlessly throughout our days, almost robot-like, completing these necessary tasks. 

But what if we were more mindful, more aware of our true tasks and responsibilities to ourselves. What to-do’s would we be adding to our “must-do” list each day!  Get to bed at a reasonable time, take time to relax, drink more water, eat healthy and exercise. Maybe your list would include lose weight, maintain a healthy weight, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, find quiet time, manage stress, learn mindfulness, take a bath and read a good book. Do you have a list such as this in place to take care of “you” and to nurture your health and well-being?

If not, there is not a better time than now to start this list and here is why.  I spent nearly two years working closely with seniors, those 65 and older. I listened, I observed intently, I learned a lot. What I came away with was the fact that most of these aging people had regrets they did not take better care of themselves in their younger years. Many of them now have a chronic condition that was perhaps preventable, but due a lack of wellness education or perhaps lifestyle choices, they are managing this condition now. I witnessed first hand how these wonderful souls, now in their golden years, wish they had taken charge of their health and lived a healthier lifestyle. 

What does it mean to take charge? The answer, to accept responsibility for something and have control over it. You have a choice to control your every day health and well-being by choosing to live a healthier lifestyle.  What is on your to-do list?

-Coach Corie