Rest, Recovery, and Renewal

As a women’s basketball fan, an exciting time has begun for me – the WNBA season.

Recently, the different WNBA teams had a media day, where sports journalists from various media outlets get their chance to pull out their recording devices and microphones to ask the players and coaches questions about the upcoming season.

One thing that the press always ask (and rightfully so) is, “What’s it going to take for your team to win a championship this year?”

And the answer usually comes down to something about keeping the players healthy because injuries are always a factor – if your star player is out, for example, it affects the team’s performance and possibly chances of going “all the way.”

Here’s the thing. Maybe you don’t play basketball or are even interested in sports, but I believe there’s a concept here that’s the same for you.

Whether you realize it or not…

YOU are the star player in your life; many people probably depend on you in one way or another, and if you’re out of commission, it can have big consequences.

When it comes to your health and well-being, I’m all about being proactive.

You can’t just sit at home and wish and hope and pray that you won’t get sick or injured.

No, as the star player in your life, you have to think about how you can stay healthy and perform at your best, just like an athlete does.

Athletes do this by following hard work with hard recovery.

Their #1 asset is their body, their physical performance.

Before a workout, they warm-up extensively to prepare their bodies for physical activity, as well as to avoid injury.

After a workout, they may sit in an ice bath or take a cold shower to rest and recover their muscles.

And you should think no differently as the star player in your life, whether you’re a one-woman show, a leader of many in your organization, or are a caretaker of some sort.

I remember when I used to play organized sports and one of the best players on our team would get injured – in the moment, it was as if we all gasped silently, hoping that the injury wasn’t too serious.

As Ben Franklin said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

Regular self-care practices that build in rest, recovery, and renewal, are far cheaper when it comes to both time and money, than it costs to rehab.

In other words, there’s a physical, mental, emotional, and financial cost to losing your vitality, and not just for yourself, but also to those who depend on you.

So remember, you may not consider yourself an athlete, let alone the star of your team, but you are, and people are counting on you to take care of YOU.

It’s the responsible thing to do.

It’s the smart thing to do.

It’s the best thing you could do for yourself and those you care for.

Finally, keep in mind that the greatest chance of injury in sports usually occurs when the player is tired.

So is the case in our lives – as the old saying goes: We can’t give from an empty cup.

We must rest, recover, and renew our bodies and minds – fill our cup, so to speak – not just so we can stay in the game of life, but enjoy it in a healthy, happy body for years to come.

How can you rest, recover, or renew yourself and your body this week?

It’s your turn to take care of you,

 

 

 

It’s Your Turn to Take Care of You!

Book a time to tell me where you are and where you want to be.

Here’s how I’ve helped other women like yourself.