Physical wellness relates to maintaining a healthy body and seeking care when needed. Physical health is attained through movement, nutrition, getting enough sleep, stress reduction and paying attention to the signs of illness and getting help when needed. Most importantly, physical wellness is about discovering what healthy habits make you feel better and suit your lifestyle and level of mobility and fitness. Because of this movement, everything is changing from moment to moment. The moving body freely channels the energy of life. Movement provides the body and mind with energy, stimulation, and balance. Of course, movement looks different for everyone, depending on the physical abilities and limitations. Daily exercise can be as simple as incorporating more walks into your day-to-day life and gardening or attending a dance routine that you truly enjoy. Be aware of your daily self-care what it looks like? Notice how still or how active you are in any given day, as well as your energy levels. If your energy is feeling stagnant, it may be time to put some focus on making some changes. |
“Exercise is a celebration of what your body can do. Not a punishment for what you ate.” ~ Anonymous |
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How do you move your body? What do you want your body to be able to do for you? This is not about losing weight. This is about understanding that your body is designed to move and then following through on your commitment to your body to move it. Our bodies are not meant to be sedentary. If you want a life of mobility, you must live a mobile life.
There is not a perfect exercise. Everyone is different! Our bodies are different. Our current fitness levels are different. So, it would make sense that our exercise needs are going to be different. What is really important here is that you choose something you enjoy. Make sure it aligns with your current level of fitness and helps you make safe progress toward your goal.
Lack of exercise can create a vicious cycle. The less we exercise and move, the less we want to. When we get out of shape we slow down. Then we can become depressed and not care for ourselves properly. We may be tempted to eat high calorie junk foods, gaining weight, and experiencing a general lack of energy and motivation. Then it becomes even more difficult to begin and maintain a good, balanced fitness program. Just consider that when you do not feel like doing any kind of exercise that is probably when you need to do it more. Are you curious to find out how I can help you find the spark?
There is not a perfect exercise. Everyone is different! Our bodies are different. Our current fitness levels are different. So, it would make sense that our exercise needs are going to be different. What is really important here is that you choose something you enjoy. Make sure it aligns with your current level of fitness and helps you make safe progress toward your goal.
Lack of exercise can create a vicious cycle. The less we exercise and move, the less we want to. When we get out of shape we slow down. Then we can become depressed and not care for ourselves properly. We may be tempted to eat high calorie junk foods, gaining weight, and experiencing a general lack of energy and motivation. Then it becomes even more difficult to begin and maintain a good, balanced fitness program. Just consider that when you do not feel like doing any kind of exercise that is probably when you need to do it more. Are you curious to find out how I can help you find the spark?
“It takes a lot of courage to show your dreams to someone else.” ~ Erma Bombeck |
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When you notice what you can do to help yourself you can take the information and arrive at something that will be beneficial for your own development. That is to say that all you know will be improved by the action of being in the here and now. The best way to move forward on this idea is to be in tune with the rhythms of your body as you move and take that to the way of being that enhances what you already know, mindful movement. Mindful movement refers to engaging in different exercises while placing all of your attention (or as much as you can) on the movements of your body as well as your breathing.
Become aware of your own body through the action of movement in time. The one thing I want you to notice is where you can be more efficient in the way you exactly help the process of healing. One way to do this would be to focus your attention on the things that matter to you, and you get to enjoy.
What exercise IS and IS NOT
Become aware of your own body through the action of movement in time. The one thing I want you to notice is where you can be more efficient in the way you exactly help the process of healing. One way to do this would be to focus your attention on the things that matter to you, and you get to enjoy.
What exercise IS and IS NOT
- Exercise is not punishment. We get a lot of messages throughout our lives that exercise has to be painful, extremely strenuous and something you dread. But that mindset is totally demotivating and simply not true!
- Exercise can be whatever you want it to be. Ask your body what it really needs. Movement can be mindful, intuitive, accessible, and gentle.
- Prioritize fun and enjoyment in your workout routine. If you are not having a good time, give yourself permission to try something else (switching it up is not the same thing as giving up). It is not a failure either, it is simply a step in the process putting you in control of your own decision.
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Mindful movement helps:
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“Two things define you: Your patience when you have nothing and your attitude when you have everything.” ~ Imam Ali |
Tips for overcoming exercise roadblocks
This might sound familiar: You decide it is time to recommit to your exercise routine. You are excited and motivated at first—staying on track might even feel easy. Then one day you slip up and beat yourself up for it. And that negative self-talk makes you feel discouraged and disappointed, so you skip your next session…the next session and the next session… you get the picture.
So, let us chat about how to navigate some of the most common exercise roadblocks so you can start and stick with your routine.
This might sound familiar: You decide it is time to recommit to your exercise routine. You are excited and motivated at first—staying on track might even feel easy. Then one day you slip up and beat yourself up for it. And that negative self-talk makes you feel discouraged and disappointed, so you skip your next session…the next session and the next session… you get the picture.
So, let us chat about how to navigate some of the most common exercise roadblocks so you can start and stick with your routine.
- Roadblock: You have trouble finding time for exercise and it is often the first thing to go when life gets busy.
- Solution: Move where you are when you can! We may think that exercise means spending hours at the gym every week, but it does not have to be that way. Get up from your desk and do a few jumping jacks every hour. Go for a quick stroll after each meal, take the stairs instead of the elevator. You get the idea! Breaking movement down into short sessions makes it feel more doable and easier to fit into your busy schedule. Also, remember that a few minutes a day is better than no minutes.
- Roadblock: You cannot seem to find an activity you really enjoy and want to stick with. It might feel like you have already tried every form of exercise out there.
- Solution: Actually, doing it is the only thing that needs to be consistent about your exercise routine. Just because some people fall in love with running marathons and do it for the rest of their lives does not mean you have to! Go line dancing one day and hiking the next. There are so many ways to move your body, so switch things up as often as you want.
- Roadblock: You get discouraged when you do not see results on the timeline you set for yourself. You feel like giving up if you do not meet your goals.
- Solution: It is time for a mindset shift. Rather than thinking of exercise as a means to an end (weight loss, endurance, muscle growth, etc.), try to see it as an essential way to take care of yourself. When you move simply to honor your body and stay well, you will enjoy it more and probably do it more often! Have fun with it!
- Roadblock: You find it hard to get and stay motivated on your own. You thrive with other people around, so plugging in headphones and lifting weights in solitude is not your idea of a good time.
- Solution: Moving your body does not have to be a solo endeavor. Make a date to walk and talk with a friend. Call a loved one while you are on the treadmill (do not mind the heavy breathing!). Sign up for a group class where you can meet new people and get your sweat on at the same time. Zumba is great!
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There is lots of flexibility to make it your own. That is especially true when we are talking about play. Play is whatever replenishes your energy and makes you happy, plain, and simple. It should reduce stress and overwhelm and expand your heart and mind. That could mean spending time with other people, reading a book, gardening, drumming with friends, learning watercolors, traveling, singing, volunteering, cooking… you name it!
How to make PLAY part of your self-care routine
The biggest challenge folks tend to have with play is consistently making the space for it. We are programmed to think it has less value than bringing home a paycheck, taking care of other people, etc. But make no mistake: Play is as important as any other part of your wellness practice. It is as good for you as eating healthy and getting sufficient sleep.
Remember, chronic stress is the number one catalyst for disease. It can literally kill us. Joy is the antidote to stress. And because it brings us joy, play is the ultimate prescription. We cannot avoid all stress, so the key is how we lift ourselves out of it (or heal after it hits us). So, make play a non-negotiable part of your self-care routine. Do whatever you need to do to make it happen. Put it in your calendar, get a babysitter, book a playdate with your bestie. Fit play in whenever and wherever you can. If you are especially short on time, start with a micro-action that feels doable, like listening to an audiobook on your commute. Every deposit into your energy bank account (no matter how small) counts! You owe to yourself.
Last, knowing what the PLAY word acronym stands for will be a good daily reminder to yourself as you say it out loud Positive Lifestyle for Active You!!
Movement is fuel to our tanks!
At the end of the day, the movement pillar is about making time for the things that brings us joy—that lights us up and makes us feel truly alive. So much of our time is reserved for things we “have” to do. We expend our energy all day, every day (yes, even on the work and people we love!). If we never pause to fill up our tanks, then we are running on empty—and running on empty leads to break downs.
If you take one thing away today, I hope it is that this pillar is just as important as the rest. It is not something to deprioritize when life gets busy and crazy. Instead, make movement a non-negotiable part of your self-care routine. When you do, you will start to feel more energized and excited about life. And when that zest is in your heart, it begins to sing and then it creates a domino effect of creativity, abundance, innovation, and impact.
Mindful movement brings focus and self-awareness, whether the movement is of ideas through the voice, body, or even the breath.
Be your own exercise instructor in that you can move with joy and purpose in ways that express who you really are. This is the key to moving with joy. Self-expression through movement will help you to begin the process of healing in time with no motive but to regain what you thought you had lost. The one thing that is important here is the way in which you realize your own substance is made of life itself. Be the one who notices what you have to offer your healing. Make sure that when you have what it takes to notice you can go into the realm of being the person that knows how to maintain health. Make it a goal!
How to make PLAY part of your self-care routine
The biggest challenge folks tend to have with play is consistently making the space for it. We are programmed to think it has less value than bringing home a paycheck, taking care of other people, etc. But make no mistake: Play is as important as any other part of your wellness practice. It is as good for you as eating healthy and getting sufficient sleep.
Remember, chronic stress is the number one catalyst for disease. It can literally kill us. Joy is the antidote to stress. And because it brings us joy, play is the ultimate prescription. We cannot avoid all stress, so the key is how we lift ourselves out of it (or heal after it hits us). So, make play a non-negotiable part of your self-care routine. Do whatever you need to do to make it happen. Put it in your calendar, get a babysitter, book a playdate with your bestie. Fit play in whenever and wherever you can. If you are especially short on time, start with a micro-action that feels doable, like listening to an audiobook on your commute. Every deposit into your energy bank account (no matter how small) counts! You owe to yourself.
Last, knowing what the PLAY word acronym stands for will be a good daily reminder to yourself as you say it out loud Positive Lifestyle for Active You!!
Movement is fuel to our tanks!
At the end of the day, the movement pillar is about making time for the things that brings us joy—that lights us up and makes us feel truly alive. So much of our time is reserved for things we “have” to do. We expend our energy all day, every day (yes, even on the work and people we love!). If we never pause to fill up our tanks, then we are running on empty—and running on empty leads to break downs.
If you take one thing away today, I hope it is that this pillar is just as important as the rest. It is not something to deprioritize when life gets busy and crazy. Instead, make movement a non-negotiable part of your self-care routine. When you do, you will start to feel more energized and excited about life. And when that zest is in your heart, it begins to sing and then it creates a domino effect of creativity, abundance, innovation, and impact.
Mindful movement brings focus and self-awareness, whether the movement is of ideas through the voice, body, or even the breath.
Be your own exercise instructor in that you can move with joy and purpose in ways that express who you really are. This is the key to moving with joy. Self-expression through movement will help you to begin the process of healing in time with no motive but to regain what you thought you had lost. The one thing that is important here is the way in which you realize your own substance is made of life itself. Be the one who notices what you have to offer your healing. Make sure that when you have what it takes to notice you can go into the realm of being the person that knows how to maintain health. Make it a goal!
“Goals are dreams with deadlines.” |
