When you hear, “healthy lifestyle” it can mean different things to people. Also, words associated with healthy lifestyle can create a visual or visceral response. If we stop and consider what that looks like for us, as individuals, the visual can become the motivation. Making informed decisions about how you want to stay healthy generates a sense of freedom.
“Should” & “Shame”
The media projects what “should” make us happy and look like. We, as medical professionals teach how to be successful at “living a healthy lifestyle”, with good intentions. Family members may tell you to live a certain way, to meet their expectations. Remember this isn’t a “Pass” or “Fail” test of who you are. After all, you aren’t competing with anyone.
Don’t be so hard on yourself
If you have had a bad day and eat a pint of ice cream, you might as well give up!! No, that isn’t true. Feeling overwhelmed when you think with “absolute” rules can be paralyzing. Choosing how to live healthy stops being overwhelming when you make it personal and acknowledge your vision of what that looks like. That is where the “happy” comes in. If we attempt to balance who we are & want to be with how we want to get there, it becomes a dance.
Giving encouragement – both people feel good.
Yes, eating a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, quality sleep, limiting alcohol and not smoking, managing stress and socialization are very valuable in “living a healthy lifestyle”. Accomplishing all your goals at once is not realistic. One example; I had a patient that said, “I can’t lose weight because I can’t even run or walk a mile.” I said, “if you can walk 15 feet, start with that.” “The next time try to walk 17 feet and be proud of yourself for trying”. Life is a journey, with peaks and valleys. What we enjoy eating, activities we want to do, relationships we share and how we manage stress will vary throughout our life. Friendships and family dynamics will change. What brings you joy, and a sense of peace won’t always stay the same. As long as we are living, we will be exploring and learning.
You know this “living healthy and happy” can be fun. You are a beautiful unique creation and how you approach life will be that as well. Happiness can begin with loving yourself for who you are and having that be the foundation for your journey. Something I haven’t mastered but I keep trying.
https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/types/dance Article about Dance/Movement
Ways to manage stress: Get a hug from a loved one, aromatherapy, drawing or painting, laughter, interacting with a cat, dog, horse or other preferred animal.
