The Giant Oak Speaks Wisdom: Listen With Your Ears and Heart. Marti Eicholz
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right now, to weed out those harmful negative thoughts that hold you back, and make room for the happy, supportive, encouraging thoughts that contribute to being a fulfilled and happy person. It will take determination and persistence.
One place where control is especially useful is in managing your own physical being, acquiring the skills for looking after your basic needs. This includes your health, finances, personal environment, body, attire, transportation and so forth. Taking control over others is potentially destructive. It runs the risk of turning into aggression. But when you apply it to yourself, it becomes SELF-CONTROL and that can be a wonderful strength.
Being in control, at its best, is independence. It is that part of you that follows your own stars, believes in your own dreams, and refuses to listen to people who tell you otherwise. Independence is a fundamental requirement for your personal growth.
When you are able to take care of yourself physically, you are much more likely to believe you can survive, no matter what happens. You develop a great feeling of security that will sustain you when you encounter difficult circumstances.
A Physical Dimension Checklist
Let’s pause for a moment and do a quick checklist of how you are doing?
•Do you live within your means?
•Do you have a savings account for the future?
•Do you exercise regularly?
•Do you eat properly and drink enough water?
•Do you have any unhealthy addictions, such as smoking, alcohol, gambling, food or drugs?
•Do you have reliable transportation?
•Is your home safe and secure?
•Can you provide adequately for your children?
•Do you look and feel your best?
•Do you get adequate sleep each night?
•Do you have health, car, home and life insurance?
Most of these items may seem like common sense to you. But ask yourself if you have taken care of every single one of them.
Whatever age you are, you may benefit from strengthening your control over your physical being.
Your physical being is your home, friend and vehicle while on earth. We depend on it for absolutely everything. Take control and learn more about this precious gift, and discover new ways to take care of your physical self. When you do this you will experience an up-lift in every area of your life—with renewed energy, optimism, courage, serenity and hope.
Nutrition
Make wise choices when nourishing your body. Common sense tells us to avoid fatty foods and sweets, poisons like nicotine or alcohol, and other addictive substances. But beyond these, learn about the specific needs of your own body in terms of food and drink. Each person is slightly different. Perhaps an undiagnosed food allergy is causing mid-afternoon lethargy. Or maybe you need more frequent mini-meals instead of several larger meals during the day. Observe your body by tracking your energy level with a food diary, and see if you can notice any patterns with your diet. Often a minor modification can reap long-term benefits, and you’ll find that your efforts toward good nutrition are rewarded in an improved sense of well-being.
Stepping up to take control
1.Find a new book on nutrition that looks exciting and fun.
2.Eliminate one food that you know is not good for you.
3.Drink eight glasses of the purest possible water a day.
4.Experiment with vitamins and supplements.
5.Learn more about herbal remedies.
6.Visit a naturopath or nutritionist for advice on a better diet.
7.Investigate possible blood sugar or allergy problems.
8.Discover the best time and frequency for meals.
9.Eat all meals this week while sitting down and relaxed.
10.Read a recipe book that inspires you to cook healthier dishes.
11.Pick one nutritional “rut” and check out alternatives this week.
Exercise
Our bodies are meant to be used—walked, danced, run, stretched, enjoyed. The more we exercise the more we become in touch with the wonderful energy within, just waiting for release through movement. Exercise stimulates endorphins, which boost our mood, calm frayed nerves and fill us with a sense of purpose and accomplishment. Aerobic exercise (swimming, jogging, tennis, skating, walking, etc.) is good for the heart and lungs. But stretching exercises like yoga and tai chi are important, too, for toning muscles, improving concentration and stimulating new mind-body connections within us.
Stepping up to take control
1.Exercise at least 20 minutes five times this week.
2.Enroll in a class or group.
3.Try a new stretching technique.
4.Experiment with a new sport.
5.Dance—even if it’s alone in the living room to the radio.
6.Choose parking spots that require a longer walk.
7.Walk after dinner instead of watching TV.
8.Find an exercise buddy, and commit to regular sessions.
9.Buy a new workout outfit, shoes or equipment to help motivate yourself.
10.Subscribe to a magazine of a sport you love.
11.Remind yourself several times a day how much you enjoy exercise.
Fresh Air
You spend most of your time indoors, breathing recycled air. You live and work in a hermetically sealed building, and you get around in sealed compartments like cars, buses and subways. In doing so, you deprive yourself of the revitalizing forces available to you in the earth’s atmosphere. A simple dose of fresh air can do wonders for your body and spirit! Hopefully, you can find some.
Stepping up to taking control
1.Open up the windows—in the car, bedroom, and office.
2.Choose outdoor exercise whenever possible.
3.Turn on a fan instead of an air conditioner.
4.Eat lunch outside, even if it means wearing mittens.
5.Schedule an outdoor activity for the weekend.
6.Plan an outdoor vacation this year.
7.Check out ion-revitalizing products.
Touch
You are a social being. Like all humans, you require loving touch on a regular basis, and you will wither away inside when you are deprived of hugs, strokes and physical affection. Are you getting the touch you need to feel happy? Are your sexuality and sensuality being fully expressed? Are you GIVING enough touch to your loved ones?
Are you naturally a touchy-feely person? If so, you may use your body freely to communicate; and are uninhibited in physical expression.
On the other hand, you may be more reserved. You don’t often hug strangers or touch others during conversations, and you may find it hard to show physical affection, even if you are in a long-term committed relationship. And when you are upset, you will probably freeze from touch of any kind, which only further isolates you from your loved one.
Don’t judge