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A friend was asking me some days back how I managed to keep it all together despite my busy schedules, and that took me back to the one vacation that changed my life. Too much stress lead to my breakdown sometimes ago.
For a long time I haven’t taken the proper rest needed and finally took one after having the biggest breakdown that got me admitted to the hospital. Prior to that, an uncle of mine who lived in the countryside has been inviting me to come over for years now. He’d always say, “leave the hustling and bustling and enjoy nature for a while”, as if he foresaw my breakdown. Being discharged from the hospital was the perfect time to honour the invitation.
So I packed my bags leaving the city behind. On getting to the village, I didn’t believe my uncle was looking almost the same way he did the last decade I saw him. In fact, you would hardly believe that this was my dad’s elder brother.
A man who lived in the countryside as a farmer looking stronger and healthier than people who had the comfort of city life was worth asking his secret of living a stress-life.
Here are four things I learned from my uncle about living a stress-free life.
Make exercise a habit.
Here I was looking amazed at a 78-year-old man who walked virtually two hours every day in order to graze his flock. He told me that even without his flock he’s formed the habit of walking; his day would be incomplete without it.
That was quite inspiring. I knew the benefit of daily exercises but wasn’t a regular at it. I was the weekend exerciser, the type who woke up rushing out to catch appointments and would sleep off working. I was among the adults who aren’t regular exercisers.
My uncle unlike men his age was living happier, stressless and slept better because he embraced exercising as a habit. Through this man, I witnessed that exercising does not only make the body healthy but also helps our mental alertness.
He’s a 78 years old man whose memory was sharper than some of his age mates. Among other benefits of making exercise a habit is that it reduces the chances of men having heart diseases, gives the immune system a boost in combating diseases and burns calories in the body.
A healthy breakfast is medicine.
I also noticed that apart from his fasting days, a healthy breakfast was non-negotiable. I wasn’t really the breakfast type, and when I did it would either be cereal or noodles. A healthy breakfast shouldn’t be all about cereal but should contain proteins, fruits, and whole grains or vegetables.
Researchhas it that a healthy breakfast reduces heart diseases in men between the average age of 45 and 82, and also improve their cognitive functions related to memory and test grades. No wonder my uncle’s memory hasn’t declined. His health conscious living made me understand better all my doctor said about the increase in my blood sugar level and insulin resistance.
Since I gain weight easily, there are foods I eat in the morning to avoid getting fat. According to Huffpost, eating healthy breakfast helps the body in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes, short-term memory and made you a happy person.
Take time to appreciate nature.
Sincerely, I didn’t believe this could work until I tried it. Life in the city is full of hustling and bustling that one might not have the time to appreciate nature. Living in a busy and populated city makes breathing unpolluted air difficult. I learned this by following my uncle to his ‘quiet place’, which was one of the most amazing places I visited in the village.
He’d sit there glancing at the waterfall, listening the humming birds and breathing in good air. The serenity of this part of the village was enough to take your mind off stress and anxiety. He said that the tranquillity his quiet place possessed left him with a clear head whenever he leaves there.
Once in a while, I just spare a little time and feed my eyes with nature’s beauty. It may not necessarily be a waterfall, but try the best you can to go to a place that gives you calmness. He always said, “feed the eyes rightly and you feed your mind”.
Have a “me time.”
Taking the time off work during the weekend wrapped my uncle’s week. He personalized his weekends; weekend to him meant ‘workend’. He said that having the mindset that work never ends is one sure way to live a stress-free life.
His Saturdays and Sundays are to relax, freshen up and prepare for the coming week. Imbibing this was not easy I must admit, most especially when there were pile of work unattended to. I try the best I can to make sure I finish my work during the working days in order to enjoy my ‘me time.’ I take the time to hang out with friends, pets, shop and develop myself.
In all you do, remember you are the greatest asset you have and you are responsible for maintaining you.
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