You can’t pour from an empty cup. You’ve most likely heard this many times. However, it is not often that we stop and evaluate our schedules. As most of us chose the hygiene field to help others, we are often the “doers.” We are the reliable people that others can depend on to show up in their times of need. I challenge you to show up emotionally to each day with a greater awareness of how full or low your mental cup truly is.
Breaking the habit, before it breaks you
Stress has been linked to increase rate of illness. Heart disease, asthma, obesity, depression, GERD and accelerated death have all been linked to stress.1 Yet in our everyday lives it can feel impossible to take tasks of your plate and replace them with a “healthy meal.” It is essential that we evaluate how much is in our “cups” daily and fuel our bodies with proper nutrition, find a physical outlet to reduce our stress, and surround ourselves with people who help us stay accountable to a healthy lifestyle.
Here are a few apps I’ve found helpful for supporting my progress toward a healthier lifestyle.
Mealime
Mealime has quickly become one of my favorite apps. The app is designed for people who want to eat healthy while maintaining a busy lifestyle. All the meals on the app can be completed within 30 to 40 minutes to allow for cooking after a long day of work. My favorite feature on the app is the grocery list. The grocery list provides the exact amounts of fresh produce and herbs that are needed for the multiple recipes you have chosen. This prevents food waste and expedites the shopping process!
Peloton Digital
Peloton Digital is an app that offers live fitness classes and prerecorded classes that are designed for high intensity training in short durations of time. The classes range from yoga to boot camps, while some require equipment some can be completed with one’s own body weight. The instructors are extremely professional and make you feel like you are in the studio with them. Two months are free when joining in the month of January.
Mint
A healthier lifestyle is not just for physical health, but mental health as well. I have found that implementing a monthly budget has eased my anxiety. Knowing where your money is going will help allow you to invest more effectively and spend more intentionally. Each time that a credit or debit card transaction takes place, the Mint registers it and filters the purchase into the correct spending category. For example, If I go to Starbucks and spend $3.00 on a coffee, that will reduce the rest of my coffee budget from the $10 monthly to $7 remaining. I find the app to be a big eye opener, as we all often do not realize how much we are truly spending.
Taking the small steps today to a healthier lifestyle can change the future of your health and those that you love. When we are healthier, we have fuller cups, which allows us to impact the world around us more effectively. I encourage you to seek a healthier 2019 emotionally, physically, or financially as you are worth the investment.
Reference
1. WebMD. Ten Health Problems Related to Stress. Available at: https://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/features/10-fixable-stress-related-health-problems#1. Accessed January 9, 2019.
