SABTATOE

I look back on a solid career of playing Sims 2 and later on Sims 3. Endless holidays have been wasted spent building homes, making new homes and creating exact replicas of the life I wanted to have back when I was 15. Recently, we bought Sims 4 just to check out how this game has evolved. I found myself forgetting about time again as I was rebuilding our family and friends. What annoyed me the most: having to keep up with my Sims’ moods. Lucky me though, the Needs meter showed me what exactly they were lacking. Now it was up to me if I was gonna meet these needs or not (no cheating allowed apparently). 

So how cool would it be if we had these indicators for our life – bladder is fairly easy and most of the times hunger also. So many of us may have lost touch with their inner meters or have simply adapted to depletion in certain areas or are well-aware, but have chosen to ignore their needs.

Where do you stand on this spectrum? Do you know what your mind, body & soul need to function optimally? How would you want to feel 24/7? 

So inspired by all the babies that have recently joined my life (not my own, mind you), I thought about all the needs we have. (BTW, did you realise that babies have different cries for their different needs?) So whenever Baby does cry, a parent goes through their mental list of things that might be wrong: Did we feed Baby? Has Baby burped? Might Baby’s stomach be upset? Is Baby’s diaper clean?

So I’ve thought about all the things that we should check when we’re not feeling a hundred percent. This is nowhere near complete, just a collection of needs I want to pay attention to. You might need add items according to your specific lifestyle or practices, like yoga, meditation or maybe prayer.

1 FOOD

So this first one is a big one for me: most of the times, I just don’t wanna take the time to prepare good meals for myself. So I end up going without any food. Not a good idea. Instead I am aiming for three regular main meals, incl foods that are easily digested by my body. I have learnt firsthand this year that not every diet suits everyone. What might help with regular eating is meal prepping. That way throwing a meal together is quick & easy. Also  I have decided to enjoy my meal, as opposed to slinging it down & seeing it as a mere means to an end.

2 SLEEP

regularly, well, enough – Sleeping, or actually rest in general, is something kids hate & adults simply can’t get enough of. We have to find the right amount & time to find the ideal sleep. That usually also excludes light, so ditch the Netflix & instead get some reading done. 

3 MOVEMENT

I have been proud of not working out for the last 24 years of my life. But this year, I finally signed up for the gym. Still not sure this is the perfect way for me to get some well-needed exercise in, but it’s definitely easier than before. For me as a very brain-active person, also tiring my body has been vital for good night sleep. 

4 DIGESTION/BOWELS

This is an area that is barely talked about as it’s considered gross by most people, not me though. Our body is a routine machine so I also like to do my dirty business at around the same time every morning. Having a good digestive system has been a massive challenge for me this year, but this way I’ve discovered how important it is to our quality of life, our skin & all of it basically.

5 SUNLIGHT

Every day should be filled  with 30 minutes of walking or some kinda movement outside.  That way our body can absorb some Vitamin D & will also have movement outside of the weekly gym visit. 

6 THOUGHTS

The way we think & speak impacts the way we feel & behave – positively or negatively. Therefore surrounding yourself with thoughts of joy, motivation & encouragement is not just some hippie thing to do, but actually changes your life. This is the form of self-care that doesn’t require any application of beauty products. Why don’t you check out youresoloved.com, our creative tumblr to encourage you & make you feel loved & empowered. 

7 CONNECTION

Whenever I’ve spent a day at home, studying by myself & then see B at night, I cannot stop blabbering. Being socially connected is so vital for our overall health. Hugs for instance release Oxytocin that’ll lower our stress levels.