How a 45-minute walk led to rest, relaxation, and a sound mind

8. Eight Hours Rest. Sleep on a Great Bed. Worry less. Drink water. Get 30 minutes daily walk. Turn meals into a 50% vegetable diet. Drop the carbs. Engage cardio. Build muscles. I ruminated on my resolutions as the count down to the New Year started. Hey, I had been here already? Sadly, I failed at the last ones because I didn't think of "resolutions as habits", which take time to stick. If I faced facts, it is because I didn't know how to. A memory hit me; "take it one step at a time", after all, don't the little drops of water, and little grains of sand create vast oceans and their beaches?

I felt different this time. I did right; I planned the resolutions three months ago. Here is my story; my Blood Pressure came up during checkup and my Octogenarian Ophthalmologist advised I adjust my diet. She told me "plan for a long life". I had a tendency to listen to old folks; I was raised that way. Besides, she looked 55 at 84 years old. Why wouldn't I listen?

Today my BP (117/82) holds steady, I take +45-minute morning walks. I cut off carbs. My meals are 50% Vegetables and I removed Salt. I meditate daily, my metabolism is up, I drink 50cl of water every 30 minutes. It only took 3 months (Sept-Dec 2021) to lock it down. I noticed rest, relaxation and sleep came easier. I rest (sleep) as a habit. When I hit January 1, I was not only ready for my New Year's resolution but also to keep going at it.

What I did, and what followed.

I only did just one thing; I took a 45-minute daily walk. Everything else simply followed suit. I admit the sequence might reveal themselves to another person in a different order but the end is rest and deep sleep.

1. I started a daily 45-minute morning walk.
2. I lost weight.
3. My breathing deepened.
4. Stress reduced.
5. My bone, and joints strengthened.
6. My posture changed.
7. Sleep came easy - it took me without notice.
8. I meditated on medieval scriptures (audio).
9. I failed, stopped...
10. ...then I got up to continue.
11. It's all in the learning.
12. I developed a compelling reason to keep going.

Find a compelling reason to keep going

The thought of a long life suited me, I was resolute. Bob Buford's book, "Halftime: Changing Your Game Plan from Success to Significance" had me cold. And the list I put together started a learning adventure. This way it is a plan, an ongoing plan, a step-by-step guide. I can update each New Year, replacing old goals as I imbibe them. One thing, needed zero learning, one thing I had to secure was a great bed.

If you fail, get up and continue.

It is all part of the learning. Sleep is such a free quality it is rather rare, to begin with. It is so strange to realize that a natural gift, like sleep, can be elusive. Yet this is reality. We'd all rather sleep later than sleep normally.

Requiescat in pace or RIP

I don't intend to horrify, as I just did only to illustrate sleep is natural. I sleep to explore rest. When I sleep and I don't dream. I shut my eyes and open it as I wake, everything in-between is blank. My body feels its weight for the first time; like Sandra Bullock in Gravity pulling herself up after days in zero gravity. My memories flood, pushing back unreality.

I had often wondered if Vampires lived long because of sleep or blood sucking. Yet, I believe that it is the sleep rather than the blood-sucking that made them look young through the ages. Lestat de Lioncourt kept young, so did Count Dracula. Yet the coffin which served as their rest was always kinda comfortable. So, one will not leave out the need for a good bed.

Ask yourself, what is your epitaph? What have you been given? And What will you do with the rest of your life? Are you ready for new horizons? Are you ready for new challenges?