After Succos, I introduced you to the Five to Thrive: sleep, hydration, attunement, physical activity, and eating well. On Chanukah, we exercised our “sixth sense” of flexibility, which helps us get through the times when perfect planning just isn’t practical. Coming up next are Purim and Pesach, two of our most joyful but hectic seasons in the calendar. They’re a time when we can’t always stick to our usual routines, including some of our healthy habits.

Even when it’s hard, we don’t want to let our healthy habits go down the drain. Nobody can run on empty. But when there’s so much happening, can we really keep up our healthy habits?

The Juggling Act

I heard this idea in a shiur from Mrs. Chani Juravel years ago and have been quoting it ever since. She noted that we all have a lot of “balls” we juggle in life. Those balls are our responsibilities. The key to a balanced life lies in knowing which “balls” are rubber and which ones are glass.

The glass balls are the ones that always come first. No matter what else is happening, they can’t be dropped. The rubber balls, though, can be delegated, canceled, or wait-listed. They won’t shatter if you drop them.

Most of us have our regular juggling act pretty much down pat. But sometimes extra balls — a simchah, a Yom Tov, a medical difficulty, or other stressors — are thrown in that make it impossible to keep our act running smoothly. That’s when it’s important to know which balls are rubber and which are glass. You need to know which balls are okay to let go.

Your “Glass Habit”

When it comes to healthy habits, there are glass balls and rubber balls, too.

Normally, sticking to all five healthy habits is an anchor. They bolster your energy, enhance your mood, and keep you healthy, strong, and fit. But when a few extra balls are thrown your way, keeping up all five habits isn’t so simple. Something might need to drop.

Each one of us have healthy habits that are “glass” — we can’t function without them. Other habits are important but less crucial to our well-being; they can bounce if need be. But you can’t just wake up one morning mid-crisis and prioritize your healthy habits! The time to decide which ones are which is before the storm hits.

We all have different natures and needs. Some women feel lethargic or don’t eat as healthily if they miss their exercise routine. Personally, I can do without my workouts if I need to, but too little sleep impacts my eating, my mood, and my productivity. For some people, eating well is a “glass habit” — if they don’t have full, balanced meals, their functioning goes down the drain — while others can be more flexible and make do with grab ’n go options from time to time. For some people, drinking water doesn’t come naturally, and without filling up those water bottles and having a reminder on their phone, they’ll start feeling the effects of dehydration everywhere, while others are just fine with grabbing a drink whenever they’re thirsty.

Take some time during this pre-Yom Tov season to think through your healthy habits. Which ones are critical for you? Sleep? Eating well? Exercise? Hydration? Which balls need to be guarded, especially during times of stress?

Once you know what’s glass for you, you won’t be thrown for a loop when extra balls come hurtling your way. When the storm blows over, you’ll be able to gracefully bend down and pick up those rubber balls again.

Till next time,

Rorie