well rounded health?

last week i had quite the week. kenley and i had a really good conversation. in that conversation kenley reminded me that i'm carrying a lot of stress. i don't think that i acknowledge that it's a stressful time in my life...and by me saying that doesn't mean i'm not caring about someone else's stress :)

but because i'm stressed it doesn't take much to push me over the edge.

that brings me to the question of well-rounded health.

i'm borrowing marcia's copy of bell hooks' sisters of the yam: black women and self-recovery. the most challenging chapter has been knowing peace: and end to stress. funny that this chapter follows work makes life sweet.

the chapter begins with 'when we live in peace, our lives are not tormented by the anguish of stress.'

hooks continues by writing 'we are only able to make lifestyle choices that enhance well-being and reduce or eliminate debilitating stress if we believe we deserve to live well. Most black women do not have this sense of 'entitlement.' we are not raised to believe that living well is our birthright. Yet, it is. We have to claim this birthright. Doing so automatically creates a change in perspective that can act as an intervention on the stress in our lives.'

i read this book just about a chapter a week b/c it's incredibly challenging. stress affects all parts of our health. right?

so yesterday i was reading Wired...there was a pretty hilarious four page spread on technology. at the end of the article/segment there is a section about not working all of the time. the writer mentions a decision you have to make between calling in sick to go on a 3 day vacation with friends to iceland....or going to work. the writer encourages the reader to think to five years from now and wonder how will this decision affect me in the future and how will this make my life not about work. there's no question, i would call in sick and take that vacation. well i'd probably just take a vacation day...but if you know me, you'd know what i'd do. i think we take ourselves too seriously, especially when it comes to work, and when we take ourselves too seriously we get stressed out about things that are ridiculous and we stress other people out.

so to have well rounded health i really think that we have to live life...well. this isn't living life in disrespect to others or as irresponsible adults, but it's living life and enjoying what life is. we're surrounded by every day miracles, chances to interact with people from all walks of life, opportunities to accept the invitation to remember we're not as important as we think we are....and to just be.

so. my suggestion for well rounded health. i think that people could take a vacation day or a half day once a quarter (especially on a friday) and just be. :)