In the old days, writers had it easy. If they wanted to express great emotion, they could simply allow their tears to fall onto the parchment, causing the ink to run, and the reader would know from the blurred writing and slightly wrinkled paper that the writer was sincere.
If, on the other hand, I cry tears of exhaustion, gratitude, and joy onto my computer, it just makes a sort of sizzling sound that kind of scares me. So let’s start with the facts….
Name:
Maisy Neill 
Born:
January 21, 2002 at 10:28pm
Weight:
7 lbs., 1.6 oz.
Height:
19 1/2″
Condition:
Perfect
Disconcerting as it will be for those of you who share labour war stories over tea, my wife had the only birth I have ever heard described as “fun”, and 13 hours later was home eating sushi and sipping champagne. (This was part of a decadent post-partum practice we began after the birth of our first child, when I asked the man behind the counter at Rosslyn Hill Deli to point out “all the foods pregnant women aren’t allowed to eat” and to his dismay, ordered two of everything. To this day, I’m convinced he thinks I was trying to kill her!)
So what have Maisy’s first 72 hours taught me about life?
1. When you’re hungry, eat; when you’re tired, sleep
The ability to delay gratification is considered one of the hallmarks of maturity, but it can also be an excuse for falling completely out of sync with our own natural rhythms. People drive their bodies into a frenzy of fat-storing self-preservation with diets that advocate unnatural eating habits, and research into ultradian and circadian rhythms has shown that 5 minutes of giving in to that little bit of sleepiness we feel every 90 minutes or so can totally recharge your body and mind.
So what else do we need to remember to help ourselves be at our best?
2. Emptying your tummy is as important as filling it.
Before you point out that this might be a slight oversimplification :-), let me just say that almost every person I have ever spoken with over the age of 70 agrees with me on this one. Louis Armstrong, who throughout his heyday as a jazz trumpeter eschewed advertising products he didn’t use, spent the latter part of his life as an eager spokesman for Metamucil, which “kept him regular” and happy in his later years. And as any Maisy will tell you, happiness is a full tummy and an empty nappy.
Is it possible that our needs become more complex at some point between 72 hours and 72 years? Certainly, and one of the reasons is that we forget lesson number three…
3. If your needs aren’t being met, let someone know about it.
When do we first learn that it’s not “polite” to get our needs met?
Maisy’s first cry was soft, gentle, and low, and I was very proud to have such a refined and well-behaved baby. Unfortunately, her second cry shattered glass, and I’m sure with a bit of practice, she’ll one day be singing Tosca at the Metropolitan Opera.
Maisy (and all babies) are born experts at getting other people to help them meet their needs. And they’re never embarrassed or ashamed about their helplessness - rather, they recognise that OPR (other people’s resources) are the secret to staying alive and thriving as you learn to tap in to your own inner strengths.
4. When you’re feeling a bit out of sorts, there’s no substitute for a good cuddle
A few years ago, there was an award winning documentary about “the dying rooms” in Chinese orphanages. These were rooms where unwanted infants were left alone to die, denied even the loving touch of a nurse or caregiver.
Research has shown a strong correlation between how much a baby is held and how strong it becomes, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Hopefully, someday soon researchers will “prove” to us what we already know - the healing power of a really great hug.
Just for today, treat yourself with “kid gloves” and get back in touch with the baby within. Eat when you’re hungry and sleep when you’re tired. Allow yourself as much pleasure in emptying your tummy as filling it. If you’re needs aren’t being met, let people know about it. And when all else fails, go and get a cuddle from someone who loves you!
Michael Neill is a licensed Master Trainer of NLP and has written over 550 articles in the areas of business success, money, relationships, health, happiness, well-being, and spirituality. His weekly coaching column is reprinted in newspapers and magazines throughout the world, and can be found online at http://www.geniuscatalyst.com
Tags: feel good, motivation
Related Posts
- France Or Bust - Learn French Fluently And Lose The Culture Shock
- Why Is Sleep Important And What Can An Eye Mask Sleep Do For You?
- 5 Strategies for Stress Reduction for Attorneys
- 5 Strategies for Stress Reduction for Attorneys
- Buying a Hot Tub in Spain
Tags: feel good, motivation
