When I was 16 years old, I was fortunate enough to be gifted with a car by my parents. A car meant FREEDOM — going out with my friends, staying out (until curfew, that is), and doing whatever I wanted….right!? Well, as we all know, along with that car came things like insurance, getting the oil changed, and making sure there was actually gas in the tank.

I was a pretty responsible kid and made good grades, but as my dad can attest, I wasn’t exactly motivated to maintain my car to the level of his expectations. In other words, that little sticker on my car telling me when the next oil change was due seemed more like a suggestion than a due date. I had never heard of the term preventative maintenance and figured — hey, if the car’s still moving and not making any weird noises, what’s there to worry about?

However, as we all know, it’s this preventative maintenance — that which you do not because something is broken, but because it will extend the life of your vehicle — which is so critical in having a safe and, ultimately, less expensive journey. By taking the vehicle to be serviced, we can avoid more costly and damaging issues down the line. Even something as simple as keeping a quarter tank of gas in the car, especially in the winter, can mean the difference between making it home and being stranded by the side of the road.

Why am I trying to give you a lesson on vehicle maintenance? I’m the last person who knows a thing about cars, but, I find that thinking of ourselves in the same way as we think about our vehicles — when it comes to preventative maintenance — can be a nice parallel:

Like our vehicles, we need fuel to go: When I open the lid of the gas tank, there’s a little sticker that reminds me that PREMIUM unleaded is what is recommended for optimal performance. As a loyal rule follower, I do just that each and every time I go to the pump. Now, we’ve all heard that food is our body’s fuel, but when I truly think about the food I put in my tank, am I choosing PREMIUM? If I’m honest, I’m not (exhibit A: the 40 cookies I’ve eaten during COVID). Maybe I just need someone to put a sticker on me…
We need to service our bodies at regular intervals: One common preventative maintenance tool for one’s vehicle is the X,000 mile service check. I am the mother of a 5-year old who has had “Well Checks” at regular intervals since she was born. We dutifully take her to the doctor to measure her growth, obtain her immunizations, check in on her developmentals, and answer questions about school. What happens when we get older? Is it all of a sudden not important to check in on our bodies and our wellness? Even if we do go in to get a physical, do they ask us about how we’re developing or what we’re doing at work? Why do we take our cars in to get serviced at regular intervals (based on mileage!), but not take ourselves in?
The ramifications of not taking care of ourselves are real. Not that I have any experience with this (don’t tell my dad), but I have heard that if you don’t get an oil change, it can do some REAL damage to one’s vehicle — to the point where it will no longer run. And, it may not happen right away. At first you may hear some weird noises or your car may start to be a little sluggish. I don’t know about you, but this rings true for me as well. When I’m not taking care of myself, I’m tired, more likely to get sick, and have a hard time getting my good habits back…vicious cycle.

In this time of COVID-19, the pressure is high, mental health is challenged to the max, and those who practiced preventative maintenance are thankful to have had a good “base” to start from. If that isn’t you, and you’re starting with an empty tank, no worries. It’s never too late to start. Take a cue from the preventative maintenance norms you practice with your vehicle:

Put PREMIUM fuel in the tank, and don’t wait until it’s empty to refuel (side note: I get that this feels even more difficult right now — canned beans and frozen fruits and veges count!)
Make those appointments for a physical, mammogram, colonoscopy or whatever wellness visits you need. Hey, you’re likely at the computer/phone anyway. Set those visits for the Fall or whenever you feel comfortable, and check one more thing off the list. If a doctor’s visit isn’t in order, schedule a time to check in with yourself. There are any number of wellness self-evaluations online. Here’s one from Princeton.
Understand that YOU ARE WORTH IT — and know that what you do now can and will make a difference to your future self. Imagine you are yourself 6 months to a year from now. What choices do you wish you had made? What’s something you can do in the next week to start moving in the right direction? How about in the next day? Or the next 5 minutes?

I’m off to go drink some water, as that’s one of MY preventative maintenance needs (shall we liken that one to topping off your fluids?). Join me, and take a few minutes to start your preventative maintenance/wellness journey today.