I ate a cronut this morning. If you haven’t had one and have no idea what I’m talking about, it’s a delicious combination of a doughnut and a croissant. And now, several hours after consuming the mouth-watering sugar circle, I still feel like absolute crap. This does not a healthy life make.
When I picture myself in my optimal state, I sleep well, my blood pressure is within a healthier range, and I can go hiking as I used to without any pain in my body. I can pick up my toddler granddaughter and chase her around, and my body aches are a rare occurrence.
What does a healthy life look like to you? Once we know what we want, then it’s simply a matter of reverse engineering it to get there.
If sleeping better is a goal, then I need to start my wind-down process earlier, ditch the screen time for at least half an hour before I’m going to turn the lights out, and then actually turn the lights out by 10p. Then, when my alarm goes off at 6a, I’m ready to meet the day from a better starting point — rather than hitting snooze several times, rolling out of bed still groggy, and then beginning my day later than I really should be.
To lower my blood pressure, I need to reduce as much stress in my life as possible, do some cardio every day, and drink more water to stay fully hydrated. I can also up my meditation and conscious breathing practices.
Since I’m a problem-solver by nature, it’s not that difficult to figure out the steps I need to take to set myself up for the win. The hard part is actually following through with the steps every single day, even when I don’t want to. This will involve willpower, determination, and remembering my WHY. Because, let’s face it, cronuts will happen, and I need to be a stronger version of myself to pass them up.