(Scroll on to Ten Good Habits that are a playful, moslty daily part of my Rule of Life, if you are not a Teapot Lover)
The teapot makes a sound it has never made before: “Sssshhh KLABATSS!”
The white 1.7 liter teapot from Arabia Finland slid gently from the tea tray and crashed with a dramatic blow at the bottom of the stairs. After a tiring day, I lost my grip on the tea tray. After twenty years of loyal service, our beloved teapot exploded in this spectacular way.
7,300 days x three times a day = 21,900 tea moments and 37,230 liters of tea. Is that right?
After all, no matter the time of day, every corner of our house is a good place to have tea. That’s why we were in the attic.
It fell to pieces, and that’s a shame. But we have more; after all, I’m a real Stone Teapot Lover!
But now to the point. Here, I give you
Ten Good Habits that are a playful, moslty daily part of my Rule of Life.
- 1 Glass of lemon water to start the day. If you really want a detox, a liter of water with a quarter of a squeezed lemon on your empty stomach is an old remedy that I discovered in the former Yugoslavia. At the beginning of the day I look for a good start somewhere and then drink away.
- 2 Hours Before Sleep: Go Offline. Set a limit to your Online life and go Offline regularly for a few days. Our GP just said a few weeks ago how so many young adults do have sleeping problems, because of the Online life they live.
- 3 times a day, brushing your teeth and then not eating for an hour or two will help your gut settle down. I also really enjoy not eating between 7:00 in the evening and 7:00 in the morning. (Except on weekends).
- 4 times a week eating meat and coming up with tasty alternatives is fine. It doesn’t have to be every day.
5. Fancy a snack? Fruit and vegetables are the oldies and you don’t get tired of that quickly.
6. (Only for for woman, but good for man to realize;-) If you have your period: Go with the flow. Listen to your body and do not push it. Need more sleep? Take it! Be gentle with yourself. This hormonal change can be intense.
7. A 7 minute workout every day can be a good habit. Finding a fixed time every day might help.
8. It’s liquorice time at half past four. My mother introduced it in the early 1970s I think. If you are not Dutch, you might hate it. Choose something else instead. A small pleasure each day is the joy of the moment after all.
9. Go outside every day: cycling or walking or doing sports, do what suits you. Not using the car and the internet regularly for a day or so gives peace of mind and promotes local life with attention.
10. Do a BMI check every now and then and check your weight. (length will not change much for adults 😉 You can calculate your height and weight here.
We leave chips, chocolate and soft drinks in the store as much as possible; The store is our pantry. (Yep, we do not buy them often) This way, we have more space in the house, and we only get some sweet treats on the weekend. Conveniently, we have had to watch our budget for years. That has helped a lot. Now, it has become a kind of sport to do low budget groceries. We eat healthy and in moderation. We try to keep it that way.
P.S. I don’t feel guilty if there is sometimes a difference between Theory and Practice—but I do take action to regain balance if necessary.
And you? Does this post inspire you to make any plans of your own? Maybe it sounds very Dutch to you. Let me know in the comments!
If you find yourself thinking, “Phew! That is so much,” then you are not reading this blog correctly. Honestly, I pay little or no attention to these Ten Habits. I really had to think about putting them into words because they come so naturally to me.
The strength lies in the fact that they are habits, meaning you don’t have to think about them too much. That’s how they become second nature. Maybe you also have a set of good habits but want to teach yourself some more with tiny steps.
Or do you have a big challenge? Don’t be too shy to ask for help. There are people who can come alongside you. It can be complicated, but there is always the opportunity to refine.
Feel free to send me an email. Then, we will look together at what is best for you.
Do you know that these are days 82–89 of the 100-day-100 word project? (we’re nearly there!)
I’m playing with “Hold On.” a rule of life here.
This blog focuses on the letter O–Oh! My body
Next week I will continue with Hold On and write about the letter N—Nurture your soul.
Just a quick reminder: The phrase “Hold On” itself makes me think of two hands clasping each other, not squeezing hard, but securely entwined.
H – “Holy ground,” a good start.
O – “Organize your time.” Make a to-do list. Do not do it yet—just plan!
L – “Let’s do it.” No procrastination. Implement your plan. Get into action.
D – “Dear ones” around you—spend time with them and keep your connection strong.
O – “Oh! My body”—Take care of your physical self with food and exercise.
N – “Nurture your soul”: Your connection with your soul and surroundings. What makes you deeply happy?
. – Full stop. Tie up any loose ends, and call it finished.
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