S.E.E.D.S. for Change

Sometimes when I’m feeling funky or off, I go back to basics and check in with myself. It’s part of my personal Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. More often than not, at least one or two of these dimensions are underperforming and sometimes non existent. S.E.E.D.S. stands for:

• Sleep

• Exercise

• Education

• Diet

• Self-Care

For each of these dimensions, here are some of the questions that I ask myself, and then come up some interventions to get back on track.

Sleep | Am I going to bed consistently? Am I getting quality sleep?

Exercise | Am I moving my body for at least ~20 min. 3x/week? Walking the dogs around the block or walking my son to day care counts!

Education | What have I learned that is new lately? Who around me is challenging my thinking?

Diet | Am I eating balanced meals? What’s my fruit and veggie intake? (because unfortunately, it’s never am I getting enough pasta)

Self-care | Am I carving out time for myself? Is it truly restorative and recharging my batteries?

I find that if I don’t have my basics met, then I can’t perform at my best. The beauty is in its simplicity. And even though I never get a perfect score, it helps me calibrate and focus on making progress.