You Now

Are you the kind of person who fills up your car when the petrol gage gets to the halfway line or the type of person who fills up when the red light is flashing, it says 5 miles to empty and you wonder just how far you can drive before you break down!?

I am sure there is a scientific reason to why people do either of these but for now we won’t go into the reasoning! I like to live life on the edge which is why it’s a challenge to see how far I can get before stopping at a petrol station!

I’ve just googled ‘Why do people run the tank down to empty before filling up with petrol?’ and read an article that stated ‘Time and fuel wise it is most efficient when you run the tank empty before filling up.’ the article went on but I won’t bore you with the details. There you go, it’s a myth, you won’t get all the dirt and sludge running through your engine if you run the tank down!

Humans are mechanically like cars! We need certain components to keep us working effectively, to keep us on top form and to be able to give our best selves to the world. However, if you run your tank down it is not the most efficient way to operate.

My components are

Time with my daughter, making her laugh!

Exercise, running and football

Family time

Eating the right foods with the occasional treat

Time to recharge

Being outside, adventures, nature

Loving my work

Socialising

What are your components? Make a list of all the things that are important to you, all the things that you love doing and know if you stopped it would affect your mental health. Now from your list how many of your components have you actually neglected. I know I have a few from my list.

At times do you feel like you’ve put diesel into a petrol engine!

Our bodies and minds are like fuel tanks, if we run on empty for too long we start to cut out the important components that keep us performing at our best. Our mental health and fitness deteriorates and our

bodies slow down. If you recognise this is happening it is ok to take time out, refuel and realign with your why, your purpose, although you may not have discovered that yet and don’t forget It is never too late to put ‘YOU’ first and change things for the better ‘NOW.’

Remember… Time waits for no one