10 Ways to love yourself!

How to love yourself?

Here are a few ideas…

• Appreciate your own company…

We love our family and friends, and in some ways, we can measure our wealth and good fortune by how many we have of both but sometimes we need reminding that we can be our own good company…

Some of us can barely squeeze in ten minutes for a soak in bath and that’s fine. For others an afternoon of solitude without even the distraction of a Booker movie can do wonders to soothe the soul and get us back in touch with the sound of our own heartbeat. And for the lucky few who can manage a weekend retreat, a solitary walk or sunup-to-sundown away from it all….. ahhh, bliss!

• Learn a new skill…

You stand there admiring a painting but have you ever picked up a brush? You can’t get enough of your favorite author but when last did you commit your thoughts to a paper? Who me, you say? Yes, you!

Learn to do something you never thought you’d be good at. You’ll be surprised when you discover a new aptitude. And the great thing about the electronic age is that often you don’t have to leave your house to take a class (except maybe for hang-gliding).

Your next teacher might be just a few clicks away ..

• Cut out the mauvais-langue…

You’ve probably never been as mean, sarcastic and insulting to another human being as you are routinely to yourself. “I suck at this, I hate myself when.. I look terrible!” Don’t you think you beat yourself up enough? Replace negative self-chat with a sweet, sincere compliment every once in a while. It will do you a world of good.

• Feed yourself better…

You wouldn’t give your dog have the garbage you put into your mouth: pesticide-laden, artificially grown, sugar loaded, over processed… ick,ick and ick! Treat yourself a detox weekend eating only fresh natural products. Try to hang on to at least one healthy habit you picked up.

Feel your body say, aahh!

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• Pack yourself off to bed early…

Once in a while, forget the late night movie, put down the book, make your excuses to lovers, family, friends and anyone else who might be encouraging you to stay up late. Exchange it for the revolutionary technique:

Step one: dive under the covers!

Step two: stay there!

• Stop yearning for the neighbors green grass…

Don’t envy what others own or what they have achieved. You don’t know what they did to get there. Besides, they’re them and you’re you. Look down at your own feet and admire the lovely green grass growing under them.

Then mow the lawn….. KIDDING!

• Clean up as you’re expecting company…

Okay, maybe this one involves hard work but does your house only get spiffed up when someone’s coming over?

Even if it’s just for a few hours, declare war on dirt, murder a few dust bunnies and put some flowers on the table. Then lay out a dinner treat for your most important dinner guest, YOU!

• Smile more…

When you smile your brain releases happy hormones that make you feel better even if you have nothing to smile about.

It’s a simple equation;

 Those who smile more live happier lives.

Yeah it’s that easy!

• Forgive yourself…

The lord himself promised to forgive us as we forgive others but as hard as it is sometimes to forgive others for their wrongdoings, it doubly difficult to let go of our sins. Instead we chew on them like yesterday’s gum even though it’s hard, bitter, and tasteless.

Spit it out fast before you choke on it…

• Love someone else….

Love is the world’s greatest perpetual motion machine. It bounces endlessly back and forth between you and everyone else. It slows down sometimes and speeds up others but its always moving.

Give love, radiate it, pass it on unselfishly and it will always, always, come back to you!

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The Ten Minute Workout

This workout is a combination of High Intensity Interval training (HIIT), strength, yoga, and dynamic tension. All these exercise should be done slowly and gently.

1. Standing up straight swing your outstretched arms alternately in a circular motion ten times around. Then swing them in the opposite direction ten times around. Repeat. In all you would have swung your arms 40 times around, ten times in each direction.
2. Pushups. Do any amount of pushups that you can do comfortably up to 20. If you are new to pushups you can do them with your knees on the ground rather than your toes. It is less strenuous that way.
3. Stoop with your bottom close to your heels and clasp your arms in front of you as if in prayer. Hold that position for the count of 100.
4. In that same stooping position lean over to the left supporting yourself with both hands on the ground in front of the left leg. Your legs should be opened wide enough so you can lean over comfortably to one side and then to the other while supporting yourself with your hands to the left and to the right. You will end up doing a gentle rocking motion from side to side. Do this rocking motion ten times on each side.
5. Stand up and bend forward from the waist keeping your upper body as straight as possible and parallel to the floor. In this position stretch out your arms and clasp your hands together. Hold this pose for as long as you can for the count of between 50 and 100.  Slowly stand up straight and stretch each arm straight up upwards slowly once on each side. This is an excellent exercise for strengthening the back and preventing lower back pain.
6. Squat. There are two ways you can do this.                                                                Version 1. You can simple stoop till you thighs are parallel to the ground for ten times.                                                                                                   Version 2. Spread your legs far apart and bend to each side as low as you can comfortably go. Do as many as you can comfortably do.
7. Stand up straight and pull in your stomach as far as you can twenty times. Breathe out as you suck in your gut. (Don’t forget to breathe in…hmmm).
8. Contract as many of your muscles one by one as many time as you feel comfortably…..biceps, triceps, chest, back, thighs, calves.

End of workout

Take your time. You don’t have to do all of them all of the time, although together they only take about ten minutes and you only need to do them 3 times a week. If you find that this is too much to do, just make sure you do some sort of exercise about 3 times weekly. Many people replace formal exercising by walking about 30 minutes three times a week. To your fantastic health.

Anthony Webster 10/4/2021