Nature is pleased with simplicity. And nature is no dummy. (Isaac Newton)
Maybe the bag is too heavy so it drains your energy, strains your muscles, and makes you want to give up. Maybe the bag is cluttered and you struggle to reach the items you need. Maybe you got distracted by the details while packing and misplaced your Wellness indicators.
Please stop for a moment, take off your backpack and let’s simplify it together.
The first action: take out
- Get rid of the bitterness ball at the bottom. Maybe it rolled into the bag while you packed. There are better balls to throw around or kick through the air, like the blossom ball and the beautiful ball. We will help you find new ones along the road.
- Throw away the hate hamburger that causes inflammatory illnesses. Maybe you thought this snack would give you comfort when the going gets tough. Not true!
- Take out the sugary, doubtful drinks that promise performance and speed. Maybe they will give you an adrenaline spike and you will walk far ahead of the group for a while. But in the long run of life, you will need endurance and rest instead.
Second action: reorganise
- Take the cell phone out of the front pocket and put it on the left side. You do need it for communication, information and taking pictures for memories. But it must not be the first thing you grab when you reach into the backpack.
- Put the skincare, sunscreen and lip balm in the right pocket where they will be easy to reach. You need them more often than you think!
- Gather the tissues and the wet wipes and put them in the front pocket. Maybe you won’t need them but someone else might. Sometimes tears will flow unexpectedly to let hurt out. This may be a good thing for our Wellness.
The third action: put in
The third action: put in- A bottle of water – a daring drink that is unpretentious. What you see is what you get. It will cleanse your body and prevent dehydration.
- A bag of nuts. An uncomplicated snack that is packed with nutrition. Eat them raw and unsalted, just like nature made them.
- A stretch band. Our legs are working hard but we need to remember to exercise our other muscles too. Using a stretch band is a quick, dedicated action that will build your strength for everyday tasks.
Now you can zip up your backpack, feel how its weight is reduced, and adjust the bands.
Tips from Walker
- It is important to have a backpack on our journey. We need nutrition, protection and strength to survive. Of course, I love treats from my human. But if I take treats from everybody my tummy gets runny and gassy. Sometimes I must bark “no”.
- For me to be free and enjoy my runs, the bag must be light. Otherwise, I feel trapped and that makes me scared.
- After my sad puppy years, I decided to never walk alone again. Sometimes my buddy helps me carry my pack back and I try to do the same for others.
Simplicity is paradoxical – because less is more. Let’s travel with less and live more.
Your wellness buddy,
Sarlene
(www.healthyfood.com)
Photos by Esther Lategan
