Some people flex (that means “show off”) their material wealth. Pics of cars, watches and fancy vacations. I prefer to flex the ways I’ve found peace and healing cuz I think it’s possible for everyone and I want it for everyone. This entire blog & archives exist still because I want to inspire you to pursue your joy.
In a world that is entirely bonkers and uncertain, I love to control what I can control. Hydration is in my control.
Here’s how I do it!
For many years I used big glasses at home. If I have to get up to get a refill it will slow down my ability to hydrate. Atomic Habits says you need to take the barriers away from your nourishing habits and create barriers for your depleting habits.*
I’ve moved on to a four water bottle system at home. They are each 24oz (0.71L) so I fill four in the morning and that way I always have easy access to drinking water on hand and I know I’ve hit at least 96oz (2.83L). Typically I refill at least once a day so I’m usually drinking more than that, probably a gallon a day most days.
Any more than 24oz and the bottle is too heavy to carry around. (Kudos to the folks who can drink from one of those bigger hydration hype bottles!)
I bring water with me everywhere I go–phone, keys, wallet, water is my chant as I leave my house to make sure I have what I need. (Thanks Broad City for helping me start that chant.)
I gave up fitting in more than two decades ago so I truly don’t care what people think when I bring a gallon jug of water along with me for refills. I keep a gallon jug in the car, too, for refills out and about.
In 2016 I finally found a water bottle that didn’t leak, was durable if I dropped it (as long as the lid is clasped) and is generally a ride or die companion.
The original was merch from an event, I came home with two and they both were big parts of my hydration. They lasted for 18 months (and still to this day are in rotation) so I chose to find the blanks (24 oz. On The Fly by Nalgene) and print them with high five for self care as Fat Kid Dance Party merch!**
I also supplement with electrolytes during the summertime, and sometimes I need to eat something salty to keep the electrolyte balance in my body. I don’t need an excuse to eat delicious chips, but I will take it.
When I lived in LA my partner was a cancer survivor so we bought alkaline water because it helped hydrate better. I don’t have access to that kind of water at the present moment but in the future I’ll have a system for my house.
Now that I’ve given you the HOW for this self care I want to dig into the WHY. If you are struggling to get a habit going that you know you need to prioritize usually it’s a why issue. Here are some of my whys for hydrating!
- I value my body. Some people can only hear the language of pain and that used to be me. I’m working on learning through joy instead. I have experienced lots of negative consequences from dehydration, including fainting at a party at the Getty museum.
- My body chemistry is delicate and particular. Migraines suck. I can’t control much but I will do whatever is in my power to prevent them!
- I need my body for work. My life’s work took me almost 20 years of adulthood to identify and I want to maximize how much service I can give through body positive aerobics.
- I’m full of emotions (Scorpio Moon) and do a ton of healing work through plants and Reiki, those require a lot of water to flush out of the body. Water in the body, water on the body and water through the body.
Yeah, I have to use the powder room usually once an hour because I’m so hydrated. SO WHAT. It’s a drama saver for me, if I get stuck in a weird conversation I can always excuse myself to the restroom. I am also outdoorsy and a former NYC nightlife producer, I am fine peeing outside if I need to. (Not my preference but it’s gotta happen from time to time. Also peeing in a wild environment tells the environment what your physical & emotional healing needs are so the forest or the sea can help heal you energetically. Be judicious about how and when and where you pee outside so you’re not being a jerk.)
The more work I do on my self love the more I don’t let what people think get in between me and living the life that maximizes my joy. Dehydration blows!
*I am working to remove moralizing language–“good” or “bad” pathologizes things, instead I like to get specific. Being hydrated nourishes me! Being dehydrated depletes me.
**I’ll do another run of these when the funding opportunity allows. It was $1,000 when I did that run, I estimate the next one will be $1,500 in these economic conditions! I’m obsessed with these water bottles and my beloved graphic designer JLV put the four water droplets so you could use a dry erase marker to keep track of your daily hydration on the bottle!
For more simple self care tips check out the tag! And explore more of my blog through the tags, I’ve been fumbling towards joy for fifteen years in this online space! Thanks for stopping by!
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