Before 2020, what did you think of when you heard the word zoom?  Was it to move or travel very quickly, a TV show or was it to narrow a lens in from a long shot to a close-up or vice versa?  Whichever definition you associated to the word, we can extrapolate that into our current, early 2021 perspective and habits.  Consider any or all of the following “zoom” activities:
 
Clarity – Gain a clear picture of a situation by taking a step back to get some focus.
 
Details – Slow down to gather all the facts and actions you may need or want to take.
 
Awareness – Pause to understand something, someone or yourself.
 
Optimism – Go wide and find a positive angle.
 
Resilience – Not everything happens at the pace or in the way we hope it will. Tap into your past exposure to challenges and use that to bounce back and forward.
 
Perspective – Reframe the picture by adjusting your fixed position to a growth mindset.
 
Zoom. Do it not only for work, fun and social connections, but also for your own well-being.
Zoom in on yourself and get the full picture.
 

It’s a new year and normally we’d all feel a sense of renewal and energy towards the changes that this time of year can often bring.  But nothing seems to be normal right now.  You can create your own sense of normal and have some control for your physical, mental and emotional well-being, by focusing on some healthy basics. Consider putting a little energy and time towards any or all of the following basics:

• Sleep – tired of hearing about how impactful sleep is?  Wake up, it’s proven and now it’s time to commit to yourself to prioritize getting the proper quantity and quality of sleep you need.  Set a bedtime and stick to it.  Limit pre-bed distractions (I’m talking to you technology) and be mindful to get into some natural light during the day to help regulate your circadian rhythms
• Stress management – pause, breathe, repeat and do it again.  Couple that with saying “no” more often and you will be on the management, the stress management track.
• Move – right now.  Get up and walk around or dance or go old school and do some calisthenics.  You can move enough during the day, without a formal workout if you choose to move for a few minutes every hour. But if simply moving doesn’t “count” for you, schedule a workout 2-3x/week and keep the appointment with yourself – it’s much better than having to make an appointment with a doctor because you’re in poor health.
• Social connection – our ways of socializing have been challenged lately, but our connections don’t need to be.  Reach out to someone, daily.  Bonus for being real, being honest and being open to truly connecting.
• Nutrition – Michael Pollan said it best: eat real food, not too much, mostly plants. His advice is simple, straightforward and is scientifically-proven to be successful and satisfying.
• Get outside – every day, no exceptions.  Being in nature is one of the most natural (pun intended) things you can do for yourself and for your health
• Fun – do something fun, nothing big, just something fun for you. Don’t overthink it, just have fun.

The basics have a pays off—more than just about any other investment you could make in your life. The returns are all positive: more health, joy, connection, and fulfillment. 
​Let’s get back to basics.
 

2020 will go down in history as one of the most unique years.  We have adapted, aligned and acknowledged so much.  Yet, it often feels as though each day is basically an auto repeat of the previous one. It’s time to try and adjust our routines in a small, safe, fun and healthy way.  Consider trying one or all of the following changes:
 
Recipe – change it up, the spices that is.  Explore new spices and discover a new cuisine
Beverages – go beyond your usual cup of tea or coffee and try a different blend or brew
Rest – take a 10 minute break to do absolutely nothing to be set for the rest of the day
Connection – reach out to someone you haven’t communicated in awhile, but do it with no expectations or excuses
Workout – add one more rep or an additional minute of movement
Energy – avoid an energy vampire for a day and see what happens to your own energy
Sleep – change the side of the bed you sleep on
Environment – shift some things around in your room, office or kitchen and tune into the environmental awareness you just created
 
No need to study or memorize anything for these small changes in this historical year, just create your own narrative and notice the impact.
 

Often when we come to the bottom of a jar and we scrape what remains, it can leave us with a feeling of frustration or sadness.  Although those feelings are certainly valid, we can reframe our thoughts and perspective about the empty jar.  We can reflect back on how much we enjoyed its contents.  We can also be creative and consider how to best repurpose the jar by taking a look at it from a different angle. Consider trying one or all of the following:
 
 
Drink – prepare beverages (tea, iced coffee, mocktails or your favorite cocktail) in advance in a jar, screw on the lid and you have a pre-made, portable hydration fest
 
Glow– place a small light in a jar for an outdoor lantern or an indoor mood setter 
 
Frame- place a picture in a jar so that it curves along the glass interior
 
Fire it up – place some sand in a jar, add a candle and get lit up.
 
Layer– make salad in a jar or alternate yogurt, fruit and granola for a parfait
 
Set – make an easy place setting by putting a napkin, utensils inside a glass jar
 
Grow – sprout seeds or root herbs and have a home-grown addition to any meal
 
Gifts – flavor oil, sugar or bath salts and gift them in a jar
 
A jar can even be more meaningful when we see it as a metaphor for a situation you may find yourself in.  When we get to the end of things, we may be sad or empty, all valid feelings, but consider reframing the ending of something, simply as an opportunity to get creative, have fun and repurpose your time or energy.
 

When was the last time you thought about your immunity?  Was it when you put on your mask or washed your hands for at least 20 seconds? The idea of boosting your immunity is enticing, but the ability to do so requires some balance, harmony and dedication to making healthier lifestyle choices. Here are a few basic ways to boost your immunity, consider trying one or all of the following:
 

• Prioritize sleep – when we cut back on both sleep quantity and quality it can have a negative impact on how our immune system functions. Protect yourself by planning for better and more sleep.  Set a bedtime alarm, turn off tech at least 30 minutes before bed, enjoy a relaxing bedtime routine and optimize your bedroom for sleep.

 

• Stress…less – make time for doing absolutely nothing. We all need to unplug to rest and reset.  Schedule time for yourself now.

 

• Eat smart enough – food can be a great friend to our immune system or a feisty foe. Enjoy foods you crave, but balance those with a healthy dose of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and simple proteins. 

 

• Move – any kind of physical activity gets your immune system active.  Do what you enjoy…dance, walk, run, bike, lift weights, rake leaves or play flashlight tag, just do something with a target of at least 150 total active minutes per week.

 

• Drink. water, tea, non-sweetened beverages and when you drink alcohol, consider moderation, as in sip, don’t chug and savor a drink or two, not more and more.

 

• Don’t smoke. Need anything more be said? DO NOT SMOKE.

 

• Be mindful – of your body, your mind, your spirit, your connections, your community and of yourself, your gut and your heart… your immune system will be grateful.

 
So, join the club, the immunity booster club, it’s a membership that you will be proud to be a card carrying member of.

It’s September, which means it’s time for schooling ourselves in staying well and for starting or sustaining our healthy habits.  Consider trying one or all of the following simple actions: 
 
Savor – a moment, a meal, a memory or a mint
Smart choices – make one a day 
Sleep – aim for both quantity and quality
Stress – minimize it by getting outside 
Support – ask for it when you need it and give it when you can
Silliness – get seriously silly and laugh lots
Share – with someone…whatever it may be…an idea, a compliment or a cookie
Send – a note of authentic encouragement and or appreciation to someone
Smile – it does make a difference, even when done with a face mask on
Stare – at nature and find the awe
Stillness - take a moment and do nothing
Sing – go ahead and belt it out
Sunshine – bask in it and see how it makes you shine
Stop – ruminating on what you should have done or should be doing
Sense – use one or all of yours and indulge yourself in it
Shower –yourself with some love and appreciation
 
Back to school this September may look and feel very different, but we can always count on the basics for getting back to our healthy selves.

​It’s difficult to process that a few months ago many of us had no idea what social distancing meant.  Now that we are tuned in and experts in putting distance between ourselves, lets try another kind of distancing; self-distancing. Self -distancing is a practice to remove our emotional selves from highly charged situations, paving the way for more thoughtful insight and subsequent decision-making.  It can help ground us, raise our self-awareness and promote insight and closure. Consider trying one or all of the following ways to begin to practice self-distancing:
 
Zoom – Like a lens, when we zoom out, we can gain self-awareness and perspective.  By zooming out from ourself and situations, it allows our more rational thinking brain to emerge and flex its strength.
 
Journal – Write, in the third person, about a decision or something you are ruminating about.  Read it and reflect on what you wrote and how you felt when you were writing it. 
 
Be your own BFF – Pretend a friend is in the same situation you are and then give her or him advice about what to do.  Listen to your own friendly counsel and act upon it.
 
Meditation – Take a moment or many and pause, breathe and then respond with intention.
 
 
With honest self-distancing we can narrow or possibly even close the gap between the things, both positive and negative, we tell ourselves and the truth we need, want and deserve to hear.  It’s the kind of distancing we all can use now and always.

Life the past few months has, at times, been a blur.  Learning and leaning into what we can control can improve our general health.  Consider any or all of the following to realize and or gain some focus:

-  Rest....often and without excuses or guilt 
-  Take a tech time out...daily (or nightly)
-  Drink....water (lots of it)
-  Move....some, more (and however you want and enjoy)
-  Connect...reach out to those people that support and "get" you
-  Sleep...think quantity and quality
-  Care...for yourself and for others
-  Laugh....out loud, at yourself
-  Get outside...as often as possible (even a minute or two can change your disposition)
-  Listen...to your body, to your gut and to your heart
-  Breathe....deeply and intentionally
-  Let go...of perfection, of judgment or debilitating rules
-  Trust...yourself 

We might not know when or how our world will unite in health, acceptance and feel some version of "normal" again,  But, we can begin to get past some of the blurriness and gain control and clarity for ourselves and our personal well-being.

If you could cheer yourself on to having more energy, would you?  Unfortunately, for most of use an energetic chant of give me an E, give me an N, give me another E, give me an R, give me a G and a Y, would simply leave us asking why?  Forget the pom- poms and try one or all of the following energy boosters:
 
Don’t be too nice.  Dealing with people who are energy vampires is exhausting.  Next time someone is draining you or your motivation, simply say no to their request for your help, time or money.  Do this enough times, and you will send the powerful message that you have limits.  Remember, this isn’t selfish, it’s essential.
 
Skip the bar.  We often grab an energy bar when we are either on the go, miss a meal or just need a boost.  Although most bars will give you a quick jolt, many are so high in sugar or processed ingredients that you might crash quickly.  Try substituting bars with whole foods that are portable like a piece of fruit and some nuts.  The combination of natural protein, some healthy fat and a hint of sweetness will give your body what it needs to feel energized.
 
Step it up. In a slump?  Take the stairs for a few minutes to get your blood flowing.  Scientists from the University of Georgia found it a better energy booster than a shot of caffeine. No stairs to be found – skip (seriously)!
 
Delay your morning cup of caffeine.  It may be impossible to believe, but delaying your first sip/cup/gallon of caffeine for 1-2 hours, can maximize its impact. Cortisol, a natural stimulant, reaches its highest levels in the early morning, so if you guzzle caffeine when you don’t “need” it as much, your body may end up producing less cortisol and may attemp to lean more on the caffeinated beverage to make up the difference.
 
Rise and shine. Grab some morning light to nudge your alertness, set your body’s internal clock and regulate hormones,  Lean towards the natural light (ideally sun light) when you first wake up.  Step outside for a moment, or have your breakfast while facing a window.  The flood of natural light should help energize you.
 
Drink. Water, drink water.  Even mild dehydration can impact your mood and concentration, Have water with you at all times and sip throughout the day.
 
You might not feel that you are rah, rah, but now you have the how to with a few Easy, Engaging Essentials to Entertain the idea of boosting your Energy.
 

​Crazy times.  As we gain more information, insight and restrictions, it could be an opportunity to actually get some healthy benefits from staying home to save lives. Consider integrating any or all of the following micro changes into your self quarantine routine:

• Enjoy.  Take a few extra moments lingering over your morning beverage.  Tap into all that mug of morning mindfulness offers…touch, taste, smell and a sense that you can relax, even for just a moment.

 

• Organize. Grab your on the go bag (backpack, messenger bag, tote or diaper bag).  Make it simple and just throw out any used wrappers, excess receipts or broken pens.  Congratulations you just de-cluttered and de-stressed.

 

• Take a nap. Ten to 20 minutes is all you need to feel refreshed.

 

• Get outside.  Fresh air is refreshing & relatively “safe” space when maintaining a physical distance of at least 6 feet.

 

• Pause.  Be it for a few breaths, a moment of reflection, meditation or just to give yourself a moment to think. 

 

• Connect.  Reach out to friends and family with a call, an e-mail, text or go old school and write a note, seal the envelope, address it, stamp it and send. 

 

• Listen.  Really listen to what someone is saying or to your gut or to your favorite song.  Making the time to truly listen, is an easy gift to give yourself and others.

 

• Watch.  Watch your favorite series, watch your kids play, and watch what you watch so that the news doesn’t bury you with worry.

 

• Experiment.  Make a new recipe, create some new clothing combinations, try a new online workout or make your own hand sanitizer by thoroughly mixing: 2/3 cup 99% isopropanol alcohol with 1/3 cup aloe vera gel and pour into small bottles to carry with you when washing your hands with soap and water isn’t possible.

 
It’s ironic, but in the midst of a global pandemic, we can actually get healthier.