Thus it goes without saying that a strong, healthy core will make the whole system stronger and healthier.
Let’s take a simple example. An apple. Red and shiny on the outside, and it looks healthy. However, as you eat the apple, you realize that the core is rotten. Is that a healthy apple anymore? Not really, is it?
You are the core of the brand you create. If you are not strong and healthy what you create will collapse sooner or later.
What to do?
As a business owner (that includes everything business, operations and marketing related), coach, international Karate athlete, Sensei, writer and so on, I walk the talk.
I would like to share with 3 of the small habits that make a difference in my life and keep me walking the talk, in business, personal, personal and athletic life. These are the same habits I teach my clients as well.
1. Have enough sleep
Although I admit that sometimes sleeping 4 hours a night is ok from time to time (I’ve done it myself) if you keep that up your brain will not be very happy.
Sleeping is the ONLY time your body, the whole system, recovers and heals in a natural way.
Every week I have 2-3 days when I stake 1-2 hrs naps in the middle of the day. When I cannot sleep I just lie in bed with my eyes closed.
This is how your body heals and recovers. But we are not talking about injuries here, no. Everything you do takes resources.
Reading this article takes resources. Eating, talking, walking, standing, blinking everything takes resources. Your body needs time to recover and it does so through sleep.
Benefits in your business? Sharp mind, quick decision making, productivity, focus, energy, and make tough decisions. Your mental and physical state will impact every single part of your business.
Sleep is important for you and your business. That does not mean you may sleep in every morning though.
Tip:
- wake up every day at the same time
- respect the sleep cycles; a sleep cycle is about 90 min, usually waking up in the middle of a cycle causes fatigue
- have power naps, even if just 10 min
2. Your emotions are impacted by your physical condition
How you move and use your body – the motion – will affect your feelings and emotions.
Let me give you some examples.
Shoulder and neck pain cause you to be grumpy. These pains are a result of your posture. But not only, it is also about how relaxed you hold your body when you walk, stand, run, sit. Grumpy means your focus and productivity will suffer and so will your business.
Posture is related to self confidence, self esteem but it is also the non-verbal messages you send to people around.
Another example. How you distribute your weight when you stand and talk to a friend, a business partner or colleague will affect your state of mind and how the person in front of you perceives you – often at a subconscious level.
We all do this, when we stand we tend to put more weight on one leg than the other. Then we change as one leg gets tired. And then we change again. And again. In the end both legs hurt up to the hips, back starts hurting as well and soon our mood changes.
Remember to balance your body weight equally on both feet. And align your ears with your shoulders, hips and ankles. This is correct body alignment to ensure less stress on your body.
Remember these points and you will develop healthier movement habits:
- Mind your posture even when no one is looking; posture is a habit not something to show only when you are around people.
- Evenly distribute your body weight on both legs
- Relax your shoulders; even when you think you are relaxed think again, everything we speak, think and feel leaves a trace of tension in the muscles, relax your shoulders every time you remember
3. Fuel
Your body is organic, it is not a robot, or made of plastic. You need organic matter to keep you alive and healthy.
I have created the Food Discipline™ lessons as one of The Merisoiu Technique five essential principles to help you change your relationship with food. And one of those lessons is Food Is Fuel.
Simply put the food and drinks you have throughout the day and throughout your life are nothing more than fuel for your body. You’d die without food and water.
Many people disagree saying that for them food is more than just fuel. Yes, it is. The cultural aspect, the taste and pleasure of having a nice meal, they are important and an awesome add-on.
But we do not need them to survive. Culture and taste are what makes food special, but not essential for life.
Thus, fuel your body and your mind the right way and, as you will thrive, your business will thrive with you.
Choose less processed food – foods that humans don’t tamper with as much:
- Fruit and vegetables – raw or lightly cooked
- Water, pure water – although nowadays we need filters. Leave aside the bottled water with all sorts of tastes, there is more in those bottles than just water taste of fruit, look on the labels. Add lemon, cucumber or an orange slice yourself if you want taste.
- If you eat meat bear in mind that, in many cases, meat is given sharp, shiny colour to be appealing to the eye. Be aware of such tricks and learn how a healthy piece of meat, or animal product is supposed to look like.
There is of course a lot to talk about when it comes to you and your business’s health. I don’t like to give a lot of advice so you apply none. I’d rather give you less and hope you apply one.
If, as a result of this article, you will do something different from now on, just one small thing, then it will be the beginning a new lifestyle for you.
Regardless if your lifestyle is healthy or not doing something difference will change your lifestyle.