Brilliant Changes

In a letter to his son, Albert Einstein wrote, "People are like bicycles. They keep their balance only as long as they keep moving." 

Well duh.   

I love this quote on so many levels. I love it because we, as humans, were designed to MOVE. We lose our mind, body and spiritual balance when we stop moving. We suffer in mind, body and spirit when we stop moving.   When we stop moving, we begin to decay mind, body and spirit. If we stop moving long enough in mind, body or sprit, we will die.  

Now, I believe in the afterlife: a world with God where there is no suffering. What this looks like, I do not know, but I can say with conviction that I do not FEAR it. I just do not believe that I am ready for it yet. I still have many things God has called me to do,and until that time of my heavenly call, I need to keep moving to have the strength: mind, body and spirit to do those things I am called to do. 

As a clinician, the number one complaint I hear from folks is how bad they feel when they cannot do things physically. This affects them in spirit and body and mind. The mind, body and spirit can prey on each other in a vicious cycle.  When one does not work well, it can surely lead to disability in another.  I believe this leads to depression of the mind, body and spirit.   Physical exercise use (in many different forms) impacts so many aspects of our health, including health of the mind and spirit.

I can tell you, from personal experience, that reclaiming physical fitness is life altering. But the process to getting there is slow, sometimes painful and requires discipline, dedication and conviction that your life will get better and you will regain that balance of mind, body and spirit when you keep moving.  

Nothing worthwhile is easy and free. It takes work and commitment. Shed the expectations of what society is telling you that you need to do to be fit. Rather focus on what you can do today to go a little further than you went yesterday. Commit to one change towards health that will have long term repercussions; and then stick with it long term. I can give you a list of suggested changes you can being to make:

*Limit soda to one a day--then get rid of it completely

*Commit to adding one fruit/vegetable once a day--then to each meal. Then replace snacks with a fruit or vegetable

*Commit to walking 1000 more steps a day. Or maybe 500 steps more, and then 1000 more, and then 2000 more.

*Throw our your favorite junk food and replace it with a healthy alternative.  Explore what you can do with fruits, veggies, nuts, nut-butters and whole grain foods.

*Cook from scratch at home once a week.  Then make it twice a week.  Build up to a point where you are eating out no more than once a week.

*Choose another life altering change and make slow, simple steps towards that goal.

 

Making permanent changes to your health is a process.  You are more likely to stick with those changes when you make slow, reasonable changes to your life.   When you commit to one healthy change, it makes it easier to commit to additional changes when you see the difference that change makes in how you feel and how you manage disease, illness, stress and fitness levels.

#lifestyle #change #health #fitness