Do it for Your Future Self
Most of us know what we need to do to be happier and healthier. We know things like eating healthy food, exercising, and getting enough sleep will boost our mental well-being and prevent us from developing disease. Yet knowing is a lot easier than doing.
We humans aren’t very good at making short-term sacrifices in order to reap benefits in the long run. We aren’t wired that way. Our reward circuitry pushes us to look for instant gratification. Our brains prefer to settle for a smaller present reward rather than waiting for a larger future reward. This present bias is what leads to an intention-action gap.
One way to reduce this gap is to think about your desired future self. Imagining who you want to be in the future can help you take the necessary steps in the present to become that person. Do you want to have enough money saved to retire in five years? What kind of house do you want to be able to afford? Do you want to be a person who is healthy and energetic enough to travel, play with your grandchildren, or go on long hikes with your partner? Do you want to own your own company?
The more vividly you are able to see your future self, the easier it is to make choices today that will benefit that person. Dan Goldstein has done some great research using computer simulations to show people the tradeoffs between how much they invest today and how much money they will have in retirement. He makes the scenarios more real by including computer generated pictures of people when they are older. You can see his TED Talk here.
Writing about your desired future self can help you visualize who you want to be more clearly. Thinking about that future version of you as another person, someone you need to look out for, can increase your empathy toward your future self. This may help reduce present bias so you will make smarter decisions for the long-term. Your present self may think skipping a workout or eating an unhealthy meal won’t make much of a difference, but your future self knows that all of the small choices you make today will determine who you become.
If there is something you know you should do, but you don’t have the motivation to do it, think about what your future self would want you to do. Picturing your future self enjoying retirement might make it a little easier to control your online shopping. When you make a good choice, imagine your future self giving you a high five. Celebrating will increase the likelihood that you repeat the desired behavior.
Gardening for Well-Being
I started meditating 10 years ago because I kept reading about the benefits of meditation for well-being. I’m so glad I did because it has made a huge, positive difference in my life.
Lately, I’ve been learning about the many benefits of gardening for our physical and mental health. So, guess what? I just planted a Fall garden. It took a lot of time and effort, but I’m really excited to add gardening to my list of well-being practices!
Here are some of the ways gardening positively impacts our well-being:
- Gardening is good exercise. I was surprised by how exhausting it was to build my garden! Personally, I’m hoping the level of physical activity required for maintaining it will be a bit lower.
- People who grow a garden eat more fruits and vegetables. You can enjoy healthy, fresh food that’s free of pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers.
- Gardening increases your time outdoors and being outside reduces stress and boosts mood.
- Gardening also relieves stress because it’s a mindfulness practice. You can become so focused on what you are doing that you are completely present in the moment.
- Learning something new contributes to well-being. I’ve watched tons of YouTube videos to learn how to start a garden and I know I’ll continue to learn what works and what doesn’t as I tend my garden this Fall.
- Gardening can boost your immune system. A harmless bacteria, Mycobacterium vaccae, found in soil has been linked to stronger immune systems. It also increases the production of serotonin, a mood-elevating brain chemical.
- Gardening may protect against cognitive decline by keeping your mind active. One study found that people in their 60s and 70s who gardened regularly had a 36% lower risk of dementia than non-gardeners.
- Growing food can make you more self-sufficient, giving you a feeling of control in a world in which so much is out of our control.
- Gardening can give you a sense of doing good by reducing your carbon footprint. It eliminates transportation costs and gardens use about one-third as much water as lawns.
- In his TED talk, Ron Finley, the “gangsta gardener” from South Central LA, discusses how gardening can transform communities.
Who knew gardening was so good for our well-being? I realize that some of you may not have the space or the patience to grow a garden. Fortunately, you can reap many of the same benefits by growing plants.
Mindset
“Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.” – Henry Ford
Mindset is a belief, or the way you think about something. How you view something can transform the situation, impacting your health and happiness. We can’t control the fact that we are facing a global pandemic, but we can choose how we view it. There are ways to think about the current situation that can help you be more resilient.
Continue reading here
To Be Resilient Take Control
Resilient individuals use active coping skills to get through difficult times. They identify what they have control over and focus on what they can do about the things within their control.
There are so many things we can’t control these days – the virus, the need for social distancing, our work situation, our children’s school situation. But there are many things we can control, like how we respond and how we spend our time. We can choose to focus on the positive, to be grateful for all that is good. We can choose to focus on the present rather than worry about an uncertain future.
We can also control our daily actions. Here are three things you can do to boost your well-being during these challenging times:
- Safety and health – Taking steps to protect yourself and your family is more important than ever. Hand washing, disinfecting, social distancing, and wearing masks can all make a difference. There are also many things you can do to boost your immune system. Getting enough sleep and exercising are important. Healthy eating matters, too. Fiber is especially critical, so eat lots of veggies. A recent study found a link between Vitamin D deficiency and COVID-19 deaths, so spend time outside!
- Growth – The sense that you are continuing to develop over time is linked to greater well-being. If you are busier than ever trying to figure out how to work from home or home school your children then you are learning new things. But you may have been furloughed or have more free time due to canceled travel and events. In that case, finding ways to grow can give you a sense of accomplishment. There are many things you can do for professional development like taking an online class, reading, seeking advice from a mentor, or building your network. As far as personal growth, the options are endless! It’s been fun to see what people have been doing, including gardening, baking sourdough bread, DIY home projects, meditating, and learning to embroider.
- Connection and contribution – Social support is one of the most important factors for resilience. Social distancing does not mean social isolation. Connecting with others at this time is paramount. Many of us are talking to friends and family more than ever. It’s also a good time to reconnect with people you may not have spoken to in a while. Finding ways to help others can have one of the strongest impacts on your well-being. Helping others makes you feel good and distracts you from your own problems. Any small act of kindness will do. You could help your parents figure out how to use Zoom, or comfort someone who is struggling, or share a funny video. Look for ways you can contribute to making someone else’s day a little better.
In anticipation of Earth Day, I’d like to share my thoughts on the benefits of eating less meat. I am convinced it is one of the most impactful things we can do to improve our health and the health of our planet. I stopped eating meat in January after reading Suzy Cameron’s book, The OMD Plan. She believes if everyone ate one plant-based meal a day, it would have a tremendously positive impact on the environment. It’s also great for your health!
Eating less meat helps the planet in multiple ways. Some of the positive benefits of reducing animal agriculture include:
- Slow climate change by reducing green-house gas emissions
- Reduce global deforestation
- Protect biodiversity, which is lost through deforestation
- Protect oceans, which are harmed by fertilizer runoff
- Conserve fresh water (almost 1/3 of freshwater used in agriculture goes toward raising animals)
And what are the benefits for you? According to Suzy, “For every extra 3% of plant protein we eat, we cut our risk of death by 10%.” Here is what eating less meat can do for your health:
- Reduce cholesterol and inflammation
- Reverse heart disease
- Prevent (and reverse) diabetes
- Reduce the risk of cancer
- Contribute to weight loss
If you’d like to learn more about the link between chronic disease and animal protein you can watch the documentary Forks Over Knives on Netflix.
I’m not ready to give up fish, eggs, or cheese, but I have found it surprisingly easy not to eat beef, pork, and chicken. And these are at the top of the list for negatively impacting our planet and our heath. Since we’ve spent the last month at home, my husband and daughter haven’t eaten meat either. Not only have they not complained once, they’ve both lost weight and feel great!
Eating less meat really isn’t that hard. You don’t have to become a vegetarian. All you need to do is start replacing some of your meals with plant-based options. This is actually a good time to try, because you don’t have the temptations of restaurant offerings nor do you have to eat what is served at meetings or events. And you may have more time to cook!
It does take some effort to find new recipes, but that can be fun! You can check out my Pinterest page for some ideas. Or visit some of these plant-based food blogs. Let me know how it goes!
Look for the Helpers, Be a Helper
Two ways to boost your mood during these difficult weeks are to notice all of the wonderful things people are doing to help others and to find ways that you, too, can help.
It’s inspiring to see how hard times can bring out the best in people. Acts of kindness are everywhere! NBA players, including Kevin Love and Zion Williams, are paying arena workers while games are cancelled and Steph Curry and his wife are providing 1 million meals to Oakland students who can’t attend school. Singers like Chris Martin, John Legend, and others, are using social media to play music for us from their homes.
Companies are also doing good. Some are shifting production to make needed medical supplies. TV shows like Grey’s Anatomy are donating supplies. Other companies are offering services for free, like operas from the Met or homeschooling assistance from Khan Academy. Stores are designating certain hours for at-risk shoppers. Lyft is donating thousands of rides for low-income individuals needing medical transportation and to deliver meals to kids receiving free lunches and home-bound seniors.
Noticing and feeling gratitude for these kind acts, like the people in Madrid who applauded healthcare workers from their balconies, makes us feel good. The last time I went to the grocery store there were more people stocking the shelves than shopping. I did go very early in the morning! And I felt immensely grateful that they were putting themselves at risk so that I could get the food I needed.
Finding ways that we can do good makes us feel even better. First, know that you are already doing good by staying home. Social distancing is the most important thing any of us can do to minimize the spread of the virus and save lives. Now consider what else you could do. Loneliness is one of the biggest problems we will all face while staying home. Contacting friends and family members as often as possible is another way to do good. If you live near elderly family members, stop by to wave through the window like Max did for his father Mel Brooks.
Some people are picking up medication for at-risk individuals, others are offering to foster animals, and these siblings played the cello for an elderly neighbor. You could share one of your favorite recipes on social media or leave the magazines you have finished reading at a neighbor’s door.
Consider how you could help the small businesses that are being so hard hit. The company I use to compost has lost much of its business due to restaurant and school closings. I am going to pay them for the next 12 months instead of month to month. I’m also buying gift certificates from our favorite restaurants.
Let’s all try to come up with creative ways that we can do good from home. Please share your ideas!
Welcoming a Slow Down
Anyone who knows me at all knows I’m a big planner. I make plans for everything as far out as possible and changes of plans can make me uncomfortable. So, as you might imagine, the mass cancelations in response to the coronavirus outbreak are definitely throwing me for a loop!
In an effort to stay positive, I’m welcoming the opportunity to practice adaptability and acceptance. And to slow down! Getting better at these things would certainly improve my well-being. People who more readily adjust to change are happier and more resilient. The same holds true for those who accept that there are things they can’t control and focus instead on what they can do.
I can’t control the fact that we should all practice social distancing in order to stay safe and keep others safe. This means canceling plans, which gives us all an opportunity to do less. How often does that happen? How could you use this gift of time in ways that will boost your well-being?
Yesterday our daughter texted us to say Harvard was taking classes online and everyone had to move out within 5 days. That’s a bit stressful! But I’m grateful for the unexpected time together with her. This will give us all a chance to spend more time with our families. Another way to boost well-being is to spend more time outdoors. I plan to take much longer walks and appreciate all of the signs of spring. I’ve been making a list of the flowers I’m going to plant in our yard. Emily and I are committing to a daily at-home yoga practice. Have you discovered “Yoga with Adriene”? Eating more meals at home will give me the chance to try out new recipes. I’ve recently stopped eating meat, so I’m going to learn how to prepare more plant-based meals. Getting rid of clutter always makes me happy. I still have boxes from the move in our garage, so it will be great to finally have time to finish unpacking.
I can’t tell you how much better I feel just thinking of all the things I’m going to have time to do! I will admit that I am very anxious about the spread of coronavirus and am disappointed that so many things are being canceled. But there is always something good! I am truly grateful for the opportunity to slow down and focus on my well-being.
