I don’t know about you, but I will admit to being a hypocrite. I think most of us have been guilty of the occasional, “do as I say, not as I do” in one situation or another. I think the best examples for me was writing a paper for my own academic pursuits, the topic: procrastination. I’m sure you can guess the rest… me typing it up last minute, there may have even been tears, swearing I would not do that to myself ever again…until the next time. I have given the speech to students about taking care of themselves, all the while neglecting my own self-care (vegetables and exercise). I have even presented study tips for our nursing students and warned them about the effectiveness of studying late into the night (or next morning) while depriving themselves of sleep and how it works against them by impacting their memory retention, all the while having stayed up WAY past my new older self’s bedtime to grade papers.

This is my reminder to colleges, and myself, that the cliche is true, we cannot pour from an empty cup. Here are my top 5 suggestions for a refill (in no particular order).

1. Breathe! I know I have caught myself just “powering through” when what I really need to do is stop, take a few deep breaths, and resume in a better head space. Try this simple exercise and refuel your brain with oxygen it craves. Inhale for the count of 4, hold for the count of 4, and exhale slowly for the count of 4 (4x4x4). You can do it anywhere, no one will even notice, and your body will thank you.
2. Go outside! We live in northern Michigan. If you are not occasionally taking advantage of this, you should. Go for a walk, ride a bike, or enjoy any of the beauty we take for granted as we pass it by every day. Heck, pressed for time…simply step outside and feel the fresh air on your face.
3. Listen to your mother! Yes, they were right. To keep ourselves fueled and ready to take on the day we must eat our fruits and vegetables. It is also to our benefit if we sleep, get some exercise, and wear clean underwear “just in case we are ever in an accident.” Thanks mom!
4. Smile! There is actual science to back this up, from a chemical release to make you feel better, smiling also helps in making us more attractive to others, and they really are contagious. This means the act of smiling can benefit you as well as others. I challenge you to humor me this week and see what you discover.
5. Say hello to a stranger. This simple act, much like the smile, can have greater impact than you may realize (again to both self and others). My kids use to be annoyed by this habit of mine. “Mom, do you even know that lady?” Most of the time my reply was a smile and a “no.” It takes just a second and can have a lasting impact. If you are feeling really adventurous, combine that smile with this hello and see