Be A Healthy Hobbit
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We are approaching Easter, our first holiday during the pandemic. We are used to attending community events, family dinners, and special Church services. Some of us have been home for three weeks, some only for one or two. Essential workers are rushed off their feet. Nothing about this is normal. I'm not a naive Pollyanna. I read the news, I listen to what the politicians are doing or not doing, people are welcome to vent to me, I see the struggle of our community, which is made up mostly of small family owned business. I keep informed and acknowledge the terrible.
I do not choose to dwell on it. That road leads to the depths of despair.
Joy
One of my most common expressions is “This makes me happy”. Usually I’m referring to something very small and commonplace. My co-worker bought me a pretty Christmas mug. Every time I use it, the mug makes me happy. It makes me happy because it’s pretty and because it was one of those “just because” gifts. She saw it, thought I would like it and gave it to me.
I always felt that contentment and satisfaction in life came from finding joy in the little things.
Don’t get me wrong, I like the big things too—I’m still very passionate about my kitchen reno from two years ago! We can’t live for the big things, they are few and far between. If we only work for our vacation, we are only happy two weeks of the year. In the long run, the marriage is more important that the wedding. The grand gestures make for good memories, and photo ops. The birthday cake that your kids made, the special present that had to be saved up and planned for, the surprise outing. These are very special moments that we should cherish and bring to the forefront of our memory periodically. However, they can’t and shouldn’t be everyday occurrences, or they would cease to be special.
If we can find joy in every day things, we are joyful every day.
An important part of this is recognizing when people are trying to bring joy into our lives. A text to see how you are doing, a meme that they thought would make you smile, a compliment on your haircut, someone bringing you a cup of coffee. When you start recognizing how other people bring you joy, it makes you realize how you can bring joy to another. When you start spreading acts of joy, your entire outlook becomes more joyful.
Some moments of joy aren’t based on the acts of other people at all. It could be your favorite song playing on the radio, favorite movie on tv, a beautiful sunrise, tulips popping up, a fawn with his mother on the side of the road, the list is endless. We have to take a moment to soak up these joyful tidbits when they occur. They are fleeting, but they can start a day of right or turn one around.
Then there is the joy we create for ourselves. Treating ourselves to our favorite coffee or tea, having a bubble bath, creating a favorite playlist, hanging sheets on the line, putting inspirational quotes or pictures up where we can see them regularly, setting aside time to do the things that bring you joy.
Normally when I write , the thesaurus is my favorite dinosaur. I love to use synonyms. I deliberately did not do so today, because repetition is the foundation of a concept sinking in. I really want joy to sink into the fiber of your being.
What brings you joy?
Back Pain
The type of pain people experience is tied to how they spend their time. One of the most useful questions I ask is “How do you spend your day?” I mentioned earlier that neck and shoulder tension is the massage therapist’s bread and butter. Upwards of 80% of clients come in to the clinic wanting their neck treated. The next most common complaint is low back pain. Sitting is definitely a culprit, especially in equipment operators, who also twist while they are sitting. This isn’t always work related, sometimes our repetitive strain comes from hobbies or sports.
A few years back, a client with low back pain insisted that she never sat at work. She was always moving, and did not do any heavy lifting. I was beginning to doubt my own intuition, because that was not the story my hands were getting while I did the massage. As the conversation went on, I discovered that she was an avid quilter and spend hours at the sewing machine every night. My world suddenly made sense again!
(I also once had a golfer ask me if I would write a note for his wife, saying that golf was good for his back!)
Sitting Is The New Smoking
While we are sitting we aren’t stretching or exercising.
Hips and knees don’t like spending all day at 90 degrees.
Joints that aren’t moving dry out.
Knees that have pressure in the back reduces circulation and increases varicose veins (from crossing legs, being bend tightly, pressure from the chair)
Poor posture in chairs weakens abdominal muscles (the all important core).
Working in a seated position encourages a rounded shoulder position (think Hunchback!)
Don’t get me started on crossing your legs!! The amount of twisting in your pelvis that is required to cross your legs throws your whole back into the position of someone with scoliosis! And if that doesn’t scare you—the pressure on the back of your knee encourages varicose veins!
Be a Healthy Hobbit
Hobbits take their meals very seriously; second breakfast, elevensies, tea time. I propose changing that from food to stretches. Midmorning, lunchtime and midafternoon stretch and water breaks.
Stand on tip toes and reach for the sky, spread your fingers wide.
Widen your stance to shoulder width and reach for the floor. This isn’t about touching your toes, be a rag doll and just hang for a minute. Very slowly, one vertebrae at time, stand up.
Put your hands on your hips and do the twist.
Roll your shoulders.
Don’t forget your neck and shoulder stretches. I know you know them now!
Drink some water!
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