What to Do When You Feel Tired of Taking Care of Your Health
The Japanese practice of daily care and attention
Taking care of your health doesn’t always feel fun or exciting. It’s often seen as something we have to force ourselves to do — at worst, a daily drudgery, at best, a routine monotony. In fact, the responsibility of maintenance in general is rarely seen as pleasurable.
That was how I felt about taking care of my health, until I came across the term te-ire.
Te-ire (手入れ) is a Japanese term that directly translates to “maintenance” and speaks to things that, without regular attention, fall apart. Gardens, homes, clothing, cars, and most material objects require te-ire. The idea is that prized possessions can easily become burdening and expendable without it. This weakening process doesn’t occur overnight, but slowly creeps its way in, as our priorities shift and effort wanes.
But the manner in which te-ire is used is slightly different from maintenance, and I realized that this slight change in perspective can make it feel like something worth looking forward to.
Te-ire encompasses the idea that we build affection for the things we’ve carried for many years, and we become proud of wearing, using, fixing, and growing with these items — maybe it’s fixing up the…
