Taking Care of the Machine
Autumn and winter are the seasons for flus and colds. This is due in large part to the weather forcing us to stay indoors and share germs with one and other. The other cause is the stress that we often put ourselves through during the holidays.
How will you take care of yourself over the next few months?
I’m asking this question because I want you to be proactive in your health. Instead of letting things happen to you, how will you take preventative measures to stay healthy?
The machine needs to be taken care of. Otherwise, the whole operation will fall apart.
I remember reading something before giving birth to my daughter Lili that changed my outlook on how well (or not) I take care of myself. When you have a child, you need to take care of yourself or you cannot provide for that child. You know the airline emergency preparedness instructions? They tell you to put on your oxygen mask before taking care of those around you. When the plane is going down, mommy better be able to breathe in order to take care of her loved ones.
It’s like this in business too. Your business cannot run without you. (WELL – some of you have gotten to the points in your business where you staff CAN take over if you are ill or face an emergency. KUDOS to you for getting here!) Your business needs you to have health. The machine needs to be running smoothly or the operation will fail.
I repeat… How will you take care of yourself over the next few months?
Here are some things that I do:
- Get sleep
Ideally 8 hours, but 6 hours at a minimum (and only on rare occasions). - Nip a cold in the bud
The minute you start to feel the cold symptoms, try my “MAGICAL TEA” (below) and take a nap. I swear on my next born child that you will be able to prevent getting sick by doing these 2 easy things. Rest is key. - Take time off
The holidays can be a slow time for wedding businesses, but we tend to fill them with a lot of other obligations. Just because you aren’t working 80 hours a week doesn’t mean you’re taking care of yourself. Slow down and take time to relax.
And now… for something totally non-business related… but totally health related… my recipe for…
MAGICAL TEA
The three secret ingredients to the “Special-Tea” are:
1) Ginger (Fresh Ginger Root)
2) Lemon
3) Honey
That’s it!
It’s like rubbing Vic’s Vaporub on the inside of your lungs or throat – when you have a cough or sore throat. When I have a cough I will drink this every two hours – and it is incredible. Also, the combination with the lemon and the honey taste so good. (I like LOTS of honey.)
Here’s what you do: (you may need to experiment with amounts to get the taste that suits you)
1 – Boil water in your teakettle.
2 – While you are boiling the water, fill a thermos with the following:
- Grated ginger (about 1” of the root) – (See * below)
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 3-4 tablespoons of honey
3 – When the water has come to a boil, pour it into the thermos.
4 – Let the ingredients steep for 15-20 minutes.
5 – Strain the tea into a mug and enjoy!
If you don’t have a thermos, you can boil the water in an open pan, add the ginger and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Turn off the heat, and add the lemon and honey and let it sit for a minute before straining into a mug. When you want more, just heat it up. (I like the thermos because I can keep coming to a nice warm batch over a long period of time and not having to keep boiling it.)
* I get tired of grating ginger when I’m sick. Whole Foods (or the Asian aisle in your local market) will have jars of “minced” or “grated” ginger. I will sometimes use this. The minced version is a bit more like a puree – so it will go thru a strainer – but it doesn’t bother me if the tea is a little thick. If you do mind it, then go for the jarred “grated” ginger.
Also, the ginger’s spice is what is so therapeutic. Make sure you have enough so that you can feel it tingling.
Download the MAGICAL TEA recipe.
Here’s to a healthy and happy holiday season!