In recent weeks, due to very sad news about people I know, as well as things happening in my inner circle, I've been thinking about whether it's worth taking care of myself.
Since life is so uncertain and can change completely from one day to the next, I'm not sure if all the effort we put into eating well, exercising, and taking supplements is necessary. As many of us who take care of ourselves have been told, "life is for enjoying."
What I realize every time I feel this way is that for me, enjoying life is really about taking care of myself, and I take care of myself in order to enjoy life.
That's because when you reach a not-so-advanced age, going to the gym and having muscle soreness is hard, but waking up with aches and pains every day is harder; saying no to a processed pastry is sometimes difficult, but feeling heavy and fatigued for the rest of the day is too; not going out for drinks until the early hours with friends might be hard, but waking up with a hangover and feeling bad for the rest of the day is even harder.
Perhaps this is a bit too profound for an ordinary day in February, but I'm sure you've wondered at some point if taking care of yourself is truly worth it. I'm telling you, yes, it is. Waking up energized, exercising because you enjoy it and not because you have to, and feeling endorphins that brighten the rest of your day, and eating food that nourishes you without causing aches, pains, heartburn, or indigestion, is truly the best way to enjoy each day of our sometimes short lives.
Furthermore, we don't just take care of ourselves to try to live longer, but also to make the years we live better, with more energy, enthusiasm, and feeling good.
If you sometimes feel this sense of not knowing if all the effort and money involved in taking care of yourself is really worth it, I hope my words will encourage you to continue taking care of yourself.