Day 2. Sources of energy.
Health is not only the absence of illness but also the presence of energy.
Phrase of the day: I am happy and so I do what I do, not the other way round.
At the end of the article are the tasks and workout of the day.
There is no point in waiting for happiness somewhere out there in the future. There is only the present moment and freedom of choice.
Happiness is not a reward we earn for achieving certain goals. Rather, happiness is a key component that helps us live a healthier and fuller life and increases our chances of achieving our goals. Being happy is not a reward, but a choice.
How can you be happier already now?
Happiness is made up of the little things that happen during the day. It is necessary to create pleasant joys yourself and to notice them, to be grateful. For example, you should be grateful for your well-being today, your health, the people you love, and the fact that the sun is shining. If people around you are not happy, change your surroundings. If health is not good - take responsibility and start creating it. Being healthy and happy is a choice and it is always an action. Complaining is the easy solution, alas, that is what many people choose to do. Many people are not ready to change and take responsibility for their lives, they are comfortable with their resentments, complaints, and dissatisfactions.
If there is no time for ourselves, our spiritual development, mental and physical health, then everything else just doesn't make sense.
We cannot feel good about ourselves if we are physically and emotionally exhausted. We can't give others what we don't have ourselves. By putting your energy into improving your emotional and physical health, you are not only doing something amazing for yourself, but you are also giving a gift to the people you care about. Research shows that happiness spreads.
We are all interconnected. And happiness is one of the best contributors to our relationships. When we are happy and energetic - we become healthier, stronger, and kinder to each other.
Happiness is a key component of a healthy life.
What is the most important element of happiness? Energy!
What drains energy?
Attachment to the past.
The past and the future only exist in our minds. You can rewrite your history in the present, leaving the past behind and choosing what you want to remember and tell others about. For example, I only keep those photos, stories, and memories that make me happy and move me forward; appreciate all the mistakes and difficulties I had to go through but focus on the successes.
Focus on those successes and your qualities that you are proud of, that give you energy, with them start from where you are, and get better every day.
Stress.
Stress reduces our health and energy. A lot was said about this on “Day 1 of the program.” Review it again to reinforce the information. Learn to manage your thoughts, body, emotions, and desires. Be in the present moment more often, there is no stress in the present moment.
A sedentary lifestyle and an unhealthy diet reduce energy and create many health problems.
When we sit during the day, we don't store energy, we lose it. Our back and health in general suffer. To be energetic and healthy, we need to be on the move and eat natural and predominantly plant-based foods. I will share this in more detail in the next few days of the program.
Lack of sleep and poor quality sleep.
Ask yourself: Am I happy with my sleep? How does lack of sleep affect my life and health?
For example, if I don't get enough sleep, I overeat during the day and am unhappy with myself, feel irritable more often, may raise my voice and provoke an argument, tend to have negative thoughts, rash decisions, and be less productive and less happy.
Quality sleep is very important! The quality of sleep is affected by stress and other factors, about which I will tell you more. Stress takes away energy and makes you less healthy. Stress comes from not thinking straight. Everything is interconnected.
Unconsciousness.
Unconsciousness is the cause of many human problems. Our actions, reactions, and emotions follow our thoughts. Thoughts have real power and can both drain and give energy.
When we are not aware of our thoughts, emotions, and desires, we want others to do what we want and do not get what we want - we are angry, bitter, and quarrelsome - all these drain our energy. We cannot control others, only our thoughts, our emotions, our desires.
Growing awareness solves many problems, including health problems.
A healthy life is a conscious life!
To increase physical energy you need enough sleep, exercise regularly, eat natural, healthy food, and move more throughout the day.
To have mental energy, the first thing you need to do is to get your surroundings and your insides in order.
Tasks of the day:
Create a joyful emotion.
Create your little joys of the day. Learn to enjoy the little things and become happier every day. We have forgotten how to notice the miracles around us. We think too much and feel too little, and joy and wonder have disappeared from our lives. Be amazed at everything around you. Life is a miracle. Rejoice in the opportunity to live, to feel, to create. Be grateful for the simplest things. Grateful and happy people are healthier, have less stress and anxiety, and live longer.
Start your morning with some movement and no caffeine.
Walking, yoga, and stretching exercises in the morning have a positive effect on sleep quality. Sleep, as you already know, is important for energy, and energy is an important element of happiness.
I also recommend avoiding coffee and caffeinated drinks in the morning and after 4 pm. This will improve your sleep. Discover new flavors in decaffeinated drinks: turmeric latte with ginger, chamomile tea, chicory cappuccino, carob and cocoa with plant milk, and masala spices that you can add to your favorite drinks.
Also, try not eating right after bedtime. Discover new sources of energy: drink a couple of glasses of water, do stretching exercises, meditate, move to your favorite music, take a walk in the fresh air, or take a contrasting shower. In time, you may notice that you no longer think about food when you wake up.
Color your plate.
Start your journey to a healthy life with 25% natural fresh produce, fruits, and vegetables, per day. Over time, let half of your diet be unprocessed plant-based foods. This is ideal for most people who want to be active 16-18 hours a day. Eat less meat and animal fat and more plant protein, greens, vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, and spices. Start each meal with vegetables and plant proteins. Reduce the amount of animal and processed foods. On a plant-based diet, you don't create new diseases and get rid of old ones.
Do the workout of the day.
To be sure to do your workout, you have to plan it: which workout you are going to do, when, where, and for how long. Plan your workout in the evening, taking into account your regime. If possible, don't plan your workout for the evening. You may be more tired in the evening and more tempted to postpone it until tomorrow. I like working out in the morning and in the morning. It's nice to know that the hard and important stuff is already done, and it inspires the rest of the day's activities.
Workout of the day: Body weight Tabata intense.
A short and intense full-body workout with an emphasis on strengthening the back muscles.
12 minutes, 8 exercises, 3 rounds.
I love Tabata training with my body weight for its effectiveness and the ability to train anywhere: at home, in the gym, outside, or in a hotel room on the balcony. The space where the yoga mat fits will be sufficient.
Attention! The workout of the day is with lunges, jumps, and running in place. If you have spinal herniations and knee injuries, I recommend starting with the free online program: “10 days of back care.“
Tabata intense bodyweight workout. 12 minute.
Exercise technique:
Do a warm-up! It can be a Yoga morning for 12 min, or a 5-minute warm-up from Lisbon.
Do all the exercises at your own pace and according to your physical abilities for the day. If there are too many push-ups, do them every other time, but don't eliminate them. Your new healthy and joyful life is in your hands and may they be strong ;)
Do not do anything in squats, lunges, planks, and bends through pain, discomfort is allowed.
For persistent lower back and knee joint pain, see a vertebrologist or physiotherapist first. Knowing the cause of the pain will speed up the recovery process.
Perform the training in a good mood. Think good thoughts.
Smile at the end of the workout, pat yourself on the back, and give thanks for the first steps towards a simple, healthy, and joyful life.