Our next topic in keeping things simple is variety. This is a common word thrown around in the nutrition world ensuring people will consume all essential nutrients by eating different types of food. I am a strong advocate for this advice and I would like to take it one step further.
I like to think that we could use variety in all parts of life to maintain balance. As a doctor of physical therapy, I see many work related injuries resulting from repetitive movement throughout the day. Sitting at a desk for the majority of your day typically results in neck and/or back pain. Lifting or pushing heavy equipment for extended periods of time creates a number of injuries. Reaching overhead multiple times per day can cause upper body injuries. Whatever you do for 8 hours during your workday will ultimately result in over use injuries if you don’t incorporate some variety in activity throughout your day.
Similarly, our mental health becomes clouded when thoughts are repetitive or we are exposed to the same content repetitively. In these situations you must break the cycle by incorporating some variety to the brain. Whether that’s reading a new book, taking a break from social media, meeting up with a different group of friends or participating in some meditation. Variety helps provide new ideas and positivity to a stale train of thought.
We all know that too much of anything can have a negative impact on our lives. So I am going to encourage you to start becoming more aware of times when things appear to be too much of the same. If you’ve been sitting longer than 1 hour, get up. If your plate has little too much brown on it, add a new color. If your thoughts are feeling repetitive, get a new perspective. If you’re hanging out with the same person all week, call an old friend. Find your balance.
Keep pedaling,
Cara
