Take care of yourself
7 of 10 in the series ‘Children Home Rules - They’re Not Just for Kids’
Here at W. Kim Tae Kwon Do, we have a set of rules that we give every child that joins our program. This list is called Children Home Rules. Basically, it’s a set of rules that aren’t any different from the rules that parents already have at home. They aren’t new, but they serve as a handy tool for reinforcement.
Children Home Rule #7 -
Children must keep their body, hair and teeth clean at all times (every day).
We get taught at an early age about hygiene.
‘Brush your teeth or you’ll get cavities. You don’t want your teeth to fall out’.
‘Wash your body so you don’t smell bad.’
These are all things that will not only keep us clean but the people we interact with will appreciate our efforts as well.
It certainly is weird to come back full circle to when we were children with so many people, who aren’t our parents, reminding us to wash our hands (and in addition to that, wear masks).
Attention to cleanliness has certainly risen. We are disinfecting more, we double check how close we are to people, and we’ve developed a type of paranoia whenever someone sneezes or coughs.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for living clean. The downside is that just because we are living clean we believe we are healthier as a result. Are we really getting healthier?
We’ve taken great strides to make sure we don’t get sick, by attempting to exterminate invasive germs around us. It’s topical cleanliness to a degree. We are afraid of getting sick and therefore try to prevent anything from getting into our bodies.
I’m afraid that people aren’t necessarily taking care of their overall health.
I’m talking about what we eat and how we exercise. This pandemic that has occurred over the past year has changed many people's outlook. Many made a marked effort to try to use the time saved from a daily commute, to work out more. For a while, exercise equipment seemed almost as scarce as toilet paper!
But as time went on not everyone was able to stick with new routines and lapsed back into what was considered ‘normal’ habits. In fact, some went the other way, adapting to a more sedentary lifestyle.
Being cooped up in a house during quarantine led to abnormal behavior in some (I was a little stir crazy myself) and as a whole, it seemed a lot more people turned to alternative coping mechanisms. To name a few: food and drink.
The summer months last year had less restrictions and many were more active outside, but as it got colder and more restrictions were put back in place, the feelings of constraint within our own homes were dealt with in alternative ways.
The holiday season didn’t help either. In our house, there were copious amounts of cookies baked and very nearly the same amount consumed.
In short, it’s very easy to do what’s easy. There are times when my couch sucks me in and I’m more than willing to succumb to its hold. It’s also very easy to get used to being lazy. But the inactivity combined with the consumption of baked goods compounds and I find I don’t even want to exercise.
That’s where I believe the biggest danger is.
I’m not an expert in mental health and I’m not trying to claim to be one, but I firmly believe that taking care of our bodies by watching what we eat and having a regimented routine of exercise will help combat the negative effects. Keep in mind, I’m not saying give up your favorite tv show, or snack, but indulge in moderation.
Have you set a goal for this year yet? If you have, have you told anyone about it?
So, I’m going to say it too. Wash your hands! But don’t forget to take care of the rest of you as well.
Photo Credit - George Becker
