Respond to Life
Let’s talk about maintenance. I’ve recently had a lot of conversations with clients and friends about maintenance, how to define it, what it looks like. This subject is the perfect sequel to my previous blog about perspective!
Maintenance is… LIFE. Maintenance is the act of a healthy lifestyle through consistent healthy habits and choices.
Healthy habits are practicing the basics of nutrition, the management of stress and recovery, and doing things that bring joy. Within these we’ll find moving our body, self-care, socializing, working a job we love, and family support.
With choices comes some deep shit, folks, because what is buried under the choices we make is the story we tell ourselves about who we are. Who we believe we are affects our judgement, our priorities, our perspective.
If the healthy lifestyle habits we are trying to establish do not come from within, we are lacking belief in ourself, and are simply applying a band-aid to our daily life. We are assuming there is a “finish line” when practicing new habits, and making choices for a healthier life. Once we cross this line, we will be free of the burden.
This means the “maintenance phase” of a health journey is the journey itself, everyday life, moment after moment, being “a healthy person that makes healthy choices.”
When we “press pause” on our health, we are declaring our priorities, and health is not one of them. There is no judgement here, we all press pause now and then, the difference is whether we get back on the horse at the next possible moment. And each time we press pause, the pause becomes shorter, until we realize there is no such thing as a pause button, after all! There is only life, which will always throw curve balls, and it comes down to how we respond. Will we continue to live our lives in a reactive state? Or will we wait to start for perfection that will never come?
Life is not static, we must have a dynamic relationship with our health. If we understand this, give ourselves grace, and find balance in our wants and needs, we may find a different perspective! If we change our belief about who we are, what is important to us, and allow this to drive our actions, we will stand back and see that we are that healthy person.
Who we believe we are, is who we are. It’s uncanny that we can live a reactive life, yet in reality we are the drivers of our own truth.
Happy Holiday weekend to those that celebrate the season, remember to honor the real reason we give and receive, to show love and appreciation to the people in our lives. I celebrate all and love all of you!
