#10 Movement

So there I was, out in the cold of my car at 10:00 PM, wondering what in the world I was going to write about when I got home (other than the movie that I had to review.) I instinctively did what I always do when I jump in my car: I rubbed my hands together like I was trying to use sticks to light a fire. And that’s when it hit me:

Movement! 

Sometimes it’s really helpful to stay busy when things are cold. It helps us stay warm and keeps us moving to get the blood flowing. Maybe being busy comes naturally, or maybe it’s an annoying burden to you. Either way, staying active is a really helpful way to get through your cold winters. 

And this may not come naturally to you. It may feel far more tempting to curl up on the couch all day, but tempting and healthy aren’t always the same thing. It can be really helpful to get off your butt to go try something new. A lot of times, new experiences help you get your mind off of things. This can be especially helpful when there are things you want to forget. But even if it’s just another day in the life, forgetting the world you are living in, even for a bit, can help you get into a better state. 

I know this was true of me growing up. In high school, I had a few love-interests, as most kids do. And most of them didn’t really work out the way I had hoped. It made me sad. One time I had planned to go to Belgium for the holidays, and I just so happened to get rejected by someone a few weeks earlier. So my holiday trip turned into a forget-my-life extravaganza. It didn’t completely wipe out the pain, but it sure did one heck of a job to ease my mind. 

New experiences are good like that. Even if it’s something as dumb as rearranging your furniture or sleeping with your head at the other side of the bed, it all makes a difference. And even if you can’t find a bunch of new things to try, stay busy anyway. Sometimes always having something to look forward to can help you through those extra slump-y moments. Just make sure you don’t overdo it and become so busy that you don’t take some time to breathe. Because burnout leads to disaster, and disaster is a big no-no. 

So take some time to make a commitment or two. Find some ways to stay accountable to those commitments. Get some friends to hold you accountable (better yet-have them join you,) announce it in public. Do whatever you have to so that you can stay busy. Even if it doesn’t come naturally to you, give it a try anyway. It might yield some good results. 

So I pray that you find ways to keep yourself going. That God grants you the discernment to see when you’re healthily busy and when you’re running from something. I pray that you learn to strike that balance so that you can generate some warmth. 

And let me know what you think of these ideas. Have you found them useful, or do these feel more like the ramblings of a bananaman who can’t seem to shut his trap? Let me know what you’d like to hear more about from me and I can see about making it happen.

Until Next Time

May Peace be your Guide.