Top 5 Tips for Physical, Financial and Spiritual Health for 2018

A few weeks ago, three of our Chamber members facilitated a gathering of our Young Professionals affinity group on “Top 5 Tips for Physical, Financial, and Spiritual Health for 2018.”  Here are the tips our experts shared with us  (paraphrased from their presentations, so don't quote them – any fault lies with the paraphraser).  :)

Financial Health: Tim Silver, Jensen & Associates

1. Gather your data – know your financial position.  You need to understand your starting point in order to know how to get to your goal.  

2.  Live within your means.  This is what lets people get ahead.  People are prone to increasing their expenses as their income increases, so living within means is a habit we have to master at whatever income level we're at – waiting until we make more doesn't work.

3.  Be responsible with debt.  It's not all bad – some of it can represent wise investments – but like alcohol, it has to be used responsibly in order to avoid trouble.  

4.  Build an emergency fund.

5.  Start early – pay yourself first.  The longer we wait to start saving, the more of our income we have to devote to it, and that's hard to do.  So don't wait!  
 

Physical Health: Constance Contursi Barker, Hit It! Fitness

1.  Hire a coach – we all need support!  You probably don't cut your own hair or represent yourself in court – you can't do everything for yourself.  

2.  Remember that you get what you pay for.  Invest in getting the quality of support, guidance, and accountability that you need.  

3.  Cut out all inflammatory foods for three weeks: a) refined sugar; b) alcohol; c) gluten; d) dairy.  Then slowly reintroduce them one by one (if you wish) to figure out how they actually affect you.  

4.  Keep a food and exercise journal.  

5.  Be patient.  It's a journey, not a destination.  You will “fail.”  But that will provide insight into how your personality shapes your behavior.  Like success, failure isn't a destination, just a point along the journey.
 

Spiritual Health: Nick Arestopoulos, Palmgren Acupuncture

1.  Focus on your breathing.  It's the one essential moment-to-moment biological function you have any control over.  

2.  No time traveling – try to remain in the present for all but two hours a week, used for reviewing where you've been and planning where you want to go.  

3.  Set boundaries.  What are you taking on that is properly other people's?  That is, their words, their attitudes, their issues?  

4.  Take time for yourself, even if it's just an extra minute in the quiet of the bathroom.  

5.  Meditate.  

To hear more from these experts, please join the Young Professionals affinity group on Thursday, February 22 @ 5:30p at Wild Onion Tied House