The 5 pillars of stability

Create greater stability for your soul by investing in more stability for your body. Your body is not a separate thing. What you do to your body will always have an effect on your soul as well. You can use this and influence the well-being of your soul by taking care of your body.

We work with the concept we call “The 5 pillars of stability”.

Those are

1. hygiene

2. food

3. sleep

4. exercise

5. sunlight

If we have to prioritize because we lack energy, we focus on these things in this order.

Body hygiene

First of all, this will keep you healthy. And not stinking really helps with social interaction. It will also make you feel better. Being clean and fresh can lift your mood, help with self-esteem and feelings of shame. Some find that a shower or even just brushing their teeth can have a cleansing effect on emotions as well. If you can’t keep up body hygiene it might be a sign that you need an intervention.

Food (and drink)

Our bodies need fuel. A lack of food results in physical weakness and mental instability. Your brain doesn’t function well and you get more vulnerable emotionally. Any food should be prefered over no food at all, but nutrition does matter on the long run. Your body needs vitamins and minerals from your food. A lack of those can cause depression and increase symptoms. We strongly believe in a balanced diet, but if supplements are necessary, it is an investment in your whole being.

We personally have a golden rule: “If we can’t make it to 2 meals a day, we need to find someone who will help us with reaching this goal”. If you can’t manage to eat, it might be a sign that you need an intervention.

We include drinking in this. Even a small drop in hydration levels can cause a change in your ability to function. Drinking enough is anti-dissociative. Aim for at least 2 liters a day. More depending on the weather and your activities. Drink like it is medicine. It is.

Sleep

Your body needs rest. Sleep restores you, not just physically. The brain processes your day. Without sleep your body is tired, your mind struggles to function and you are more vulnerable emotionally. Sleep deprivation is known as means of torture! It creates suffering. Do whatever you need to do to sleep regularly. Learn more about improving sleep Insomnia – basic sleep hygiene

negotiating sleep (SystemWork)

It might help to talk to your doctor about possible medication as well. There are meds out there that help with sleep without being addictive. Don’t stop trying things until you find something that works. We have good results with this Aromatherapy part 1 (essential oils for anxiety and insomnia)

Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep. You might be able to live with less, but you will be happier with a little more. If you sleep 10 hours or more you might want to talk to your doc though.

Exercise

Your body was made to move around. All kinds of pain are caused by not moving enough, as well as intense restlessness and emotional tension. Exercise releases happy hormones. Those reduce anxiety and counter depression. There are tons of studies out there that prove that. They include PTSD. Scientifically you get a significant effect when you move with moderate intensity for at least 30 minutes. It is recommended to do this about 3 times a week with a heart rate at 130. Remember it as “3-30-130”. 3 times, 30 minutes, 130 heart rate.

As with all the other pillars, balance is needed. The body doesn’t like high intensity workouts that are much longer than 60 minutes. It starts to release stress hormones then. That is the opposite of what you were aiming for. It also needs rest days for your body to heal. If you are not an athlete you should work out a max of 5 hours a week.

Sunlight

aka “going outside”. Did you know that our body needs sunlight to produce certain vitamins like D? Without it we get depressed, weak and vulnerable mentally and emotionally. A minimum of 15 minutes of exposure to sunlight a day will help your body to get what it needs to be healthy and strong. Going outside during the day will do the job. It will also help you breathe some fresh air and see the world out there. Being outside can give you a new perspective, there is a lot of beauty to be found, cute things to observe, nature, life. It is good for the soul to see all that and know that there is more than just pain. If you like you can combine your outside/sunlight time with your exercise time and go for a brisk walk or do some outdoor sports.

We consider this the foundation of self-care, the physical support we need to get stable and healthy. We put all our energy into getting these right. They have top priority. Without them we wouldn’t be able to work on anything else. Especially with the first 3 there is little room for compromise. You are either supporting yourself here or you sabotage yourself. If you see your pillars crumble it should draw your attention. It means that you need to stop and check what is going on. You need a strong foundation to build on.