We all know the importance of good health. We all strive to be the best we can be in every facet of our lives. But, when the goal to attain exceptional health meets every day reality, well, you know what happens.
Goodbye dreams of eating better, exercising more and sleeping restfully. Hello usual daily realities, stressors and habits.
Life is busy. We have existing routines. We have personal and professional responsibilities that must be met. Deadlines, meetings, emails, travel, homework, after school sports. The more I list, the more stressed I feel! Who has the time to do more?
Our emotions can also work against becoming healthier. Some of us don't enjoy exercising. Others don't enjoy cooking. Most of us have some less-than-healthy habit that feels good after a really bad day (mine usually involves wine). We want more of the things we like. We want to run far away from the things we dislike.
So how do we trade in our good health intentions for good health get it done? The answer is much easier than you might imagine.
Put one manageable health activity in your calendar every day.
Manageable means convenient, feasible or workable. Manageable means something you can do without rearranging your entire schedule. Manageable makes you happy. There is no changing who you are with manageable. There is just being who you are.
Health activity can be as easy as 'drink an additional glass of water today.' Health activity can be as aggressive as 'do your training for the 5K/marathon/triathlon.' Health activity can be as quiet as a moment of deep breathing or as loud as spinning class. Health activity can be related to eating better, moving more, or reducing stress.
Manageable means just that -- manageable.
Health activity means just that -- one activity that will make you a healthier person.
Because, you see, what we schedule and what we like, we do. What we deem as urgent gets done. What we prioritize, we complete. Easy is better than hard. Good intentions and big dreams, while great things, don't always happen. But if an enjoyable task is on your list to do, and it is easy enough to do, chances are, that task will get done.
One step at a time. One day at a time. One habit at a time. Goals are great motivation, but it is consistent action, regardless of how small, that gets the job done.
If you do nothing else: Pick that one manageable healthy activity that you will do for the next week, and put in in your calendar/on your to-do list.