All Psyched Up: Driving on empty

By Linda Hancock on September 20, 2025.

I have often been surprised and disappointed by the way that people live their lives irresponsibly and then wonder why they can’t function at an optimal level.

Think about what would happen if you treated your vehicle poorly. Don’t do maintenance, put sugar in the tank and drive like a demon! It wouldn’t take long until you realize that your transportation is hampered or completely undependable.

There is a wonderful book called “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten”. From birth we are taught to practice self-care. Get enough rest, eat nutritionally, play with your friends, enjoy recess, go to the bathroom, flush!

But what do we do? Stay up late; consume sugar, caffeine and substances; skip meals; ignore regular elimination and live a life with chaos and conflict.

Then, when we are overwhelmed, desperate and unhealthy, we turn to the medical profession for a magic cure. We think that those with credentials will make everything better in an appointment that is less than an hour in length.

Unfortunately, we then frequently ignore the advice that is given! And so, the circle spins round and round and round.

Self-care is simple but it isn’t easy. Planning to exercise, for example, should not involve developing a rigid workout routine that will cost money, take time and effort. It begins with a regular walk – maybe starting with just going around the block.

Eating nutritiously begins with ensuring that you shop so that healthy foods are readily available in your environment. A small container of yogurt will replace a bag of potato chips but only if the yogurt is in your fridge.

Last week I had an annual checkup, and the doctor was pleased to hear that I had lost twenty-one pounds in four years. I didn’t think that was a big deal as it was only five pounds a year, but she focused on the accumulative success. (Now if I just live until about 20 more years, I will be at goal weight).

Sleep can be an issue especially if you have formed bad habits over the years. Try removing technology from the bedroom. Stand in the doorway and pretend you are at a hotel. Is your room appealing enough to measure up to one you would rent? Why not? Just make the changes so that it is a relaxing and beautiful place to sleep. And get a routine! I can’t say that strongly enough. Get a routine! Go to bed at the same time and get up at the same time every day.

And as for the bathroom – well, you need to train your body to eliminate regularly and that might take some time. There is nothing that is important enough to delay what you need to do in the bathroom. My mother was a schoolteacher who was extremely involved in the community. By Saturday mornings she was so constipated that not only she but all of us suffered. Don’t let that happen to you or you will be carrying around so many toxins that your body is attacked.

Finally, please treat your professionals like wise sages who can give you information and treatment which you might not otherwise have. We can try to inspire you to do the right things to be healthy, but we cannot do them for you. Use the advice you have been given to improve your life. We definitely don’t mind repeating things a few times but when you seek counsel over and over again without applying effort, you are fooling yourself about what needs to happen.

So, this week, think about the control you have and whether you are using it appropriately. One of my favorite singers is Jimmy Buffet. Lyrics in “Fruitcakes” refer to his comparison with his wife. Jimmy sings, “She treats her body like a temple. I treat mine like a tent”.

Compare your body to a vehicle. Are you driving on empty? If so, it is perhaps your own fault. Not?

Something to think about for sure.

Dr. Linda Hancock, the author of “Life is An Adventure…every step of the way” and “Open for Business Success” is a Registered Psychologist who has a private practice in Calgary. She can be reached by email at office@drlindahancock.com

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