Tag / balance

by yojeanyi

Gloomy days can be good days: flipping the tone

I woke up today feeling groggy, probably from another strange dream with shapeshifting friends and roads going nowhere. I cranked my eyes open before the unconscious world could drag me back into a sticky slumber. Leaping from bed to office chair in 5 seconds, I started writing in hopes that my brain would believe and enact a good day ahead.

Having a good day consists of the following:

Good food, good company, feeling good, being good. If half of these are present, I’d be having a good day. If all are present, that’s a great day.

obligatory prescription: for how best to wake up each day:

“

  1. get substantial exercise the day before;
  2. sleep longer and later than you typically do;
  3. eat a low sugar breakfast rich in complex carbohydrates, with a moderate amount of protein
  4. pay attention to your body’s glucose response after eating.

“

A) Good food– I know people who eat the same sandwich for lunch and are content. Whatever good food is to you is perfect, as long as its not all unhealthy. Balance is key. For myself, I love some crunchy veggies and fruits. I discovered a satisfying tangy ranch popcorn seasoning when I’m feeling decadent. (The entire bottle is 195 calories which will take a while to get through.)

You can never skimp on the god of foods, protein. I go for the ease and nutrition of boiled eggs, fish, beans, and less frequently, delicious beef stews and pork belly.

My personal favorite meals- juicy street tacos cut with fresh red and green salsas, soothing savory and herbal pho, a big stomach filling bowl of bibimbap made from stir fried wild greens, julienned veggies, earthy mushrooms stirred in gochujang and sesame oil, warm gnocchi made from golden potatoes riced with a slotted spoon and tossed in a pea, sun dried tomato, hot chili oil, butter garlic sauce. Anything chocolate. Frozen treats like chocolate covered frozen bananas rolled in toasted chopped walnuts, peanuts, sea salt. Or a DIY peeled mini mango popsicle. Lots of water. My coffee with a thick cloud of foam. Pickles.

B) Good company – Spending time with people who accept, care, love, challenge you. Hanging out with those with similar interests or values. These will be family, friends, coworkers, classmates, community members, strangers at the gym without whom you will never exchange a word or even a glance, but who are with you in a shared space to focus on the same goal. It can be fellow movie goers, the number of which will not matter. In the dim theatre you are laughing and sniffling together. Good company in good spaces.

C) Feeling Good – Being active (walking, exercising, standing/stretching), giving a big stretch, journaling, reading a page out of book, chatting, listening to music or enjoying the arts. Unscheduled time alone, being without anything that requires attention. Doing the responsible things and doing the carefree things.

And feeling good even though it feels bad at first can be tackled as follows:

According to one internet user:

“Like, I started the workout routine by spending 3 weeks just getting out of bed, putting on my running shoes and workout clothes (not in that order) and just standing outside my door. Spent weeks literally just practicing going outside in the morning, until that stuck as a habit. Then I started by practicing jogging 10meters/yards for a few weeks, and then I progressed from there. Now I run 5-8km each time.”

D) Being Good – Helping others, asking and receiving help from others, expressing gratitude, self reflection. Working on projects and short term or long term plans. Remembering good times, letting go of bad times.

It’s also a healthy practice to limit screen use and passive consumption. Whenever we work on the screen, I’m sure it is now common knowledge to take frequent eye breaks. The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends the “20-20-20 rule for adults who work on a computer. This rule suggests that individuals look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes of the day.”

A begrudging morning doesn’t need to set the tone for the day. Even if you have a great routine, it’s not always great. But things will unfold to bring you joy and meaning when you set up your life for goodness to flow.

by yojeanyi

Good tip: sweat before showers

We brush our teeth twice a day, shower every other day, groom ourselves, and eat with some semblance of regularity. Hygiene and health are part of life — they get done with regularity (otherwise we can get sick.)

Exercise, on the other hand? Not always so automatic. Even if we know it’s good for us, it might not come naturally. Stick to the same low-stakes, noncompetitive activities — the elliptical, a fitness video, running loops around the block, or a weekly yoga class — and it can start to feel like a chore. Motivation wanes.

Here’s a simple trick: sweat before you shower. Make the act of exercise an unskippable part of clean, refreshed skin. You’ll feel the reward immediately afterward.

If you want to make movement more habitual ritual, try these:

  • Rally with a friend — sanitize a tennis ball or badminton birdie and get competitive.
  • Swim in the ocean — snorkel, explore, wave to marine friends. If you can’t find a calm cove, swim along the wave breaks. Survival instincts kick in and heart rate rises naturally.
  • Hike and immerse yourself in nature — choose a trail with elevation gain (1,000–2,000 feet) or varied terrain: stream crossings, chaparral, alpine meadows, boulder fields, canyons, or desert trails. Diverse landscapes challenge differently and connects you with the environment.
  • Home movement — if you’re stuck indoors, dedicate ten minutes to movement before getting clean. Jumping jacks, push-ups, dancing to a few songs. Spike energy and support immune health.

(This is similar to habit stacking, for example, one can Exercise + Brush Teeth – Do a set of squats or stretches while brushing teeth.)

So next time you’re about to jump in the shower, ask yourself: did I sweat before shower?