Hydration for the Hypocrite

Every time I work with individuals or teach a yoga class, I will remind them at the end of each session the importance of self-care; “listen to your bodies, drink lots of water to hydrate and flush out toxins, take time every day to stretch, take a few moments to yourself every day to clear your mind, etc., etc...” No doubt these are important reminders, but a question I had to ask myself the other day was if I was doing all those things myself on a consistent basis.

What made me think of my own actions stemmed from having a recent procedure done on my shoulder. I would normally tell people to take a few weeks off to allow the body to heal after something like that, but here I am still teaching classes without regard to my own body needing time to heal. Of course, people count on me, so I’m still going to teach classes, but it got me to thinking about the importance of integrity and living by my own words.

It’s a funny thing how integrity and the conscience mind inter-relate, even with something so seemingly insignificant as to whether I’m drinking my fair share of water or taking the time to stretch every day. Does anyone care? Does it really affect anyone? Probably not, but its much like the last blog I wrote, Worry that They are Always Watching YOU, that we should be leading by example for those who look to us for guidance. Otherwise, what does that make us?

It’s a great takeaway for me this week; to be reminded that if we are giving advice to others on how to take care of themselves, that we are in fact doing the same things, even if nobody else is watching.  

~Sarah