Be a Force to Reckon With!
Hi There,
My first real job was at the iconic local ice cream parlor, Lickety Split. I was a short order cook orchestrating a wide variety of coffee shop delights: Ruben sandwiches, patty melts and turkey salad from actual house roasted turkey. I worked a couple of nights a week after school and then on weekends. And besides palling around with the motivated, compassionate, and highly professional staff (every one of us a high school student), my favorite part of the job was enjoying the “Sundae Shot”.
You see, a fellow who worked behind the fountain created these treats for the staff, who, for the most part came to work directly from a day of school. He put about an ounce of rich soft serve ice cream into a tasting cup, added a sauce and a topping of our choice, and then topped it with REAL whipped cream.
During the course of a shift, I looked forward to these tiny, munchkin sized treats. And on Sundays, when I would work both the lunch and dinner shifts, I could have three or four of these little shots of heaven.
Although it didn’t seem possible, these tiny shots added up to a pudgy Deborah. Yup, the job that served to launch me into a restaurant career also contributed to a deeply shame-laden chapter of my life.
Why am I sharing this story, especially given my past with body image and shame?
Because I’m finding the same cumulative effect with little breaks, often infused with exercise throughout the day. Studies have shown a positive corollary between 10-minute breaks and lowered stress in the brain. Stack onto this my commitment to “movement” as described in The Seven Circles, the object of my current infatuation.
So, using the “shot theory”, I decided to sneak in some sets of push-ups, step ups, mini trampoline sessions, and even 10-minute yoga breaks across the week. The results have been astounding!
Unintentionally and only recently discovered, I’d become more energized and toned over this quarter. I haven’t lost weight, but I’ve certainly become a mightier force to reckon with.
During this season of holiday parties, travel, and overextended calendars, don’t forget to take care of yourself. If you can’t squeeze in a proper exercise session daily, you can at least be intentional about movement each day.
Hopefully I’ve convinced you that you DO have time for self-care. If you’ve ever assumed that self-care is selfish, consider this quote:
“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence. It is self-preservation…” -Audre Lorde, Black Civil Rights Activist and Feminist.
Cheers!
-Deborah
Deborah Goldstein
DRIVEN Professionals / Forbes / Linkedin
info@drivenpros.com | LinkedIn
DRIVEN Professionals, 35 Adrienne Lane, Garrison, NY 10524