How We Respond to Life Keeps Us Healthy

Being healthy is many things but I feel the biggest player in life is how we respond to it. We all face daily situations in our personal lives and even the workplace. How we respond to these circumstances can create a healthier, happier, and stronger person.

Being healthy includes more than the physical and nutritional. It also includes our emotional and spiritual health. If anything in our life is out of place, health is just not complete.

When a problem arises, we can choose to mishandle the situation or solve it in a healthy way. Many times issues are out of our control. The truth is the only thing fixable or controllable is yourself. We're not responsible for the actions or behavior of others, but what we do have is the actions and behaviors of ourselves. Life can be made to feel complicated and depressing or carefree and happier simply by how we respond to situations.

The same principle should be applied to how we take care of our body. Do we nourish it well, exercise it enough, and provide adequate rest for it?  What are your actions telling your body and how is it responding to you?  Are you getting great healthy feedback or receiving messages of fatigue, illness, weight gain, depression, and stress?

Our body is a good barometer of how we're living life. A healthy lifestyle reflects itself from the inside out. If we're doing a great job with eating right, working out, and emotional happiness then our body will feel pretty amazing.

If we choose not to listen to our body cues to get our act together, guess what? We will be hit with weight gain, stress, illness, and usually being pissed off at the world for our problems. It's up to each of us to listen to what our body, mind, and spirit are telling us and take appropriate action. It will be the responses in life that create our health.

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Be well and Stay Healthy

             

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Use Fitness to Work Through Emotional Upset

Life is not meant to be easy peasy and all wrapped in a pretty bow all the time. The truth about life is it can suck and be filled with very difficult emotional and even physical hardships. 

Emotional junk can weigh down our brains and bodies and cause us to retreat into a shell of self-defeat. When we're struggling with emotional upset from any life situation, it's important not to give up on you. During these times we tend to not take care of our health and fitness. We really can become our own worst enemy.

Emotional upset can happen at any given time and we can choose to handle it in a healthy or unhealthy way. It really comes down to us being responsible for our own physical and emotional health. This also includes maintaining our fitness and happiness. 

Emotional upset seeming to be the most painful occurs in close personal relationships with spouses, significant others, dearest friends, and family. It's also the most difficult to navigate feelings that may include anger and resentment. We can become so bitter it interferes with the quality of our life and health.  

We tend to walk around with unrealistic expectations of how things and life are supposed to be. We want to be in control of how people treat us and really expect others to be like us. Often times we create our own upset because things don't happen according to our own thought processes. 

These self-induced feelings can create an unhealthy person that we ourselves find hard to recognize. It can be difficult when we feel hurt, but it's also important to recognize if the hurt is real or created from unrealistic expectations. 

In the midst of emotional upset, it's important to exercise and release endorphins to help us feel better. Studies have shown exercise to be one of the best methods for stress reduction, decreased depression, and overall positive well-being. 

It would be wonderful if life had an easy button to simply remove all the drama causing us emotional pain. The closest thing we possess to make that happen is our response to what causes the upset. We can choose to walk around with a bad attitude or choose to be positive with a healthy response. A great workout can enhance our positive feelings even more.   

Having a healthy response to unhealthy situations takes learning and practice, but the reward is a healthier happier life. There is nothing worse than stewing inside and growing an emotional pimple until it bursts into ugliness. There are so many positive avenues to take care of the problem in a healthy way. Eating healthy and exercise are great ways to improve our mental and physical health. Other ways to work through emotional upset include meditation, prayer, or even reaching out to a licensed therapist.  

Life is similar to a classroom and we are students learning through each experience. Every circumstance is an opportunity to learn and grow in a positive way. With every upset, we can choose to become healthier people. Remember, life is 10 percent what happens and 90 percent how we respond to it. 

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Getting Fit Requires Breaking the Cycle of Bad Habits

If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always got. Henry Ford 

Getting fit requires breaking the cycle of bad habits that created an unhealthy body. That means taking responsibility for our fitness and doing what it takes to get healthy.

Changing our habits can be tough because fitness doesn't magically happen. Ready for some hard work?

Bad habits keep us trapped in a life of emotional stress, unhealthiness and unable to move forward with self improvement. Repeating unhealthy behaviors is not loving or respecting our body. In order to create good habits, ending the cycle of what you have always done will be the start of great things for you.

Bad habit cycles can include poor eating habits, sedentary lifestyle, living unhealthy in general and being in denial about it. Many turn to alcohol, drugs, smoking, binge eating or not eating to cope with life. These choices have created unhealthy people.

Being in denial about bad habit cycles is a form of nonacceptance. It is refusing to face what needs to be changed.

Repeating bad habits makes us feel unhealthy, stressed and unhappy. Unfortunatley, many of us consider this way of life normal. Why has being unhealthy become an acceptable way to live? It has become a way of existence but not really living life to it's potential.

Many of us are over fat, sick and angry but refuse to look at ourselves as the cause of the problem. Instead we choose to continue repeating bad habits keeping us in an unhealthy lifestyle.

Well, isn't it time we take our heads out of the unhealthy sand? We are our problem but we are also our solution. When we start making the necessary choices to change our health, our health will be changed. That means discontinuing bad habits and implementing a new healthy lifestyle.

Health and fitness is a process of self improvement including physical and emotional health. It will require making changes and removing bad habits. It will take mental strength to remain true to healthy choices. Reaching your goals will require giving 100% effort.

The journey will not be easy. We aren't promised easy in this life. We do have a choice on how we are going to live this life however. As long as our focus is on personal progress and becoming healthier versions of ourselves, we are good.

I believe all of us want a better, healthy life. Right? Each one of us have the responsibility and choice to make that happen by breaking the cycle of bad habits. Your life, your body and your choice. What do you say?

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Being Fit Involves How We Respond to Life

Life is not always easy. I'm no different than many of you: woman, wife, mother, daughter, a friend. I do walk the walk of fitness with my occupation as a personal trainer and writer. This doesn't change the fact I sometimes have up and down days emotionally and physically. I also experience burnout with my workouts.

One of my favorite life quotes is “life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond to it”. I came across this quote from a school project my son made in junior high and it has really stuck with me. My son is almost 30 now. 

I have realized through my journey of life and fitness we are limited in what we can control. The only thing we can control is how we think, feel, and respond to life’s circumstances. We simply need to learn to let go of the rest. This can be a hard task but a necessary one. Also, we are definitely in control of the choices we make for ourselves to become healthy, fit people.

Getting fit and healthy involves both our physical and emotional self. Many of us struggle with self-acceptance and not feeling good enough. Fixing our mindset is so important to be able to get physically fit. There is no such thing as perfection but progressing each day as a better and healthier person.

One of my clients just shared this quote: "You do not have to get an A every day!” This was a revelation I took to heart as an overachiever. It also brings us back to life and health not being about perfect, but simply doing our best. This is important stuff when it comes to fitness.

Attitude is huge in life and really determines how we respond to our day. We can choose to be bitter or positive. We can either refuse to grow or open our door of potential to become better people from every circumstance in life. This is where life and health can feel hard. We need to be able to wake up and be happy and healthy on purpose. 

If my attitude and response were unhealthy, I would be unable to help people. I wouldn't be a good trainer choice to see for a healthy lifestyle. Would you want to entrust your health to a person who was unhealthy in any sense of the word? Sadly, many people walk around emotionally unhealthy without anyone knowing. 

Getting back to why this is important. My attitude and how I respond to life is what lifts me up, motivates me, and keeps me moving in a positive direction. It enables me to put forth my best self each day with nutrition and fitness. I choose not to give up in despair but to persevere through life. 

Life will bring challenges for all of us. I have faced many and will continue to do so. How I choose to respond will be the key to my healthy self. None of us are immune to the struggles of life, injuries, finances, illness, or family crisis. What remains important is how we respond. I can tell you this, it may be hard to get to the gym on a down day, but after I get going, it becomes easier. After a few minutes, a whole different attitude kicks in and I start using this time to think through things. I accomplish great healing during a hard sweat session. Nothing feels better than a finished workout. 

The takeaway: life is about balance. Health includes the emotional as well as the physical. When one is out of sync, the machine will not work properly. I began today on a downer and after some prayer time, writing this Blog and soon to workout, I feel energized. Nothing will ever be perfect but life and health can always be good. 

Motivation of the Day: Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond to it

Be well and Stay Healthy

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Why Boundaries are an Important Part of Being Healthy

It took me many years to learn how to set boundaries and even what the heck that meant. Think of a boundary as a shield of protection around you providing health and happiness. Go deeper with the meaning and understand boundaries are an important part of self-love and not allowing others to treat you in an unhealthy way. 

When boundary setting is not demonstrated for us as children, it's usually a struggle to grasp as an adult. The sacrifice of self to the point of mistreatment by others can be the result if boundary setting is not put into place.  Boundaries make a clear statement of what is not acceptable or allowed in our life. When those lines are crossed, it's a painful process for the one that has been wronged.   Sometimes clear communication of the broken boundary can resolve the conflict. Other instances will require radical choices of removing ourselves from the situation altogether. The most uncomfortable part of a broken boundary is the trust once there before now replaced with doubt or fear.

I am all for doing whatever it takes to learn how to set boundaries: counseling, support groups, church guidance, etc. Once the art of boundary setting has been learned, it provides a self-confidence, strength, and overall feeling of worthiness never experienced before. It will seem as if life has begun in a truly healthy way for the first time. 

Once boundaries have been set, it's important to honor yourself by remaining true to those decisions. This means not allowing anyone or anything rob you of your shield of self-love. Even the best of boundary setter can backslide and be tempted into old patterns. This could mean trusting someone to the point of letting down a boundary. The old familiar result of anger, resentment, and hurt re-enters the picture. Along with being wronged is the personal shame felt for allowing it to happen in the first place. The feeling of failing ourselves can be overwhelming. 

Boundaries teach us how to respect ourselves enough to know how we want to be treated. It also dictates what is acceptable in our lives. Boundaries remove our doormat mentality and replace it with a security door of emotional ability to conquer any circumstance placed in its way.  

Emotional health is a large part of our physical health. Being able to set boundaries is an important part of being a healthy person. It's about setting limitations and expectations for your life. The journey of learning can be a tough one, but the positive result will be the ability to love yourself. 

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Fear No Longer Gets in the Way of My Story and Helping Others

For some reason hiding behind our secrets seems to be the easy and almost normal thing to do in life. I'm not immune and in fact guilty of such past behavior. Years of life and wisdom have brought me full circle to being almost too transparent. Hiding is a tiresome process unfounded and stress producing. It feels good to be free and able to share my life and who I am. 

I have learned not to be ashamed of my story because it just might inspire or help someone going through the same things. Everyone will experience circumstances that may or may not be within our control. What we learn from these experiences helps to create who we are. 

Why do we get so caught up in what people think it causes us to hide our true self? Our struggles are left in the closet for fear of rejection. Not being accepted has become more important than sharing what is happening in our life. Fear takes over our ability to share deep struggles. We struggle silently even though we may need help or a listening ear. Sadly, fear of rejection cuts off any chance of gaining a support system through difficult times. The truth is we really don't want people in our life who would reject us for who we are. Life is about building real and meaningful relationships that are positive and supportive. 

In my lifetime, I have hidden the inability to set boundaries. I allowed myself to be mistreated in early marital and boyfriend relationships keeping it all inside. I have been a closet Christian, suffered alone with anxiety, hid my cervical dystonia condition, and in my competitive fitness hid behind a ripped body as being healthy. 

In hindsight, I now see my fear of rejection kept me from being me.  During the time I was unable to set boundaries, I cared more about what people would think or say than my own health. I never wanted to be considered a failure in the eyes of another. I am embarrassed to say at one point, I didn't confess to being a Christian, and just kept it between me and God. I tried to hide my cervical dystonia condition because of the tremor that can sometimes accompany the condition. Suffering from anxiety in my life had been another closet issue I thought others wouldn't understand. 

Years have passed and accepting myself, shedding fear and shame are probably my healthiest accomplishments. Sharing the real me without being guarded has been such a relief and freeing experience. It has allowed me to help so many others suffering in the same ways I once did. My road to self-acceptance wasn't easy or something that happened overnight. Once I learned to open up and gain a support system, it re-defined my life.

I am a firm believer in faith and a positive advocate for a great therapist to assist during difficult times. Learning to love yourself and share your story is not only a healing process, but also opens the door for others to feel comfortable enough to step toward you for help. When fear of rejection is no longer an issue, it opens doors for true contentment to flood your life. 

So many hide behind relationship problems, eating disorders, medical conditions, addictions, money problems, and the list continues. Hiding and handling things alone makes being happy impossible. The majority of us walk around living fake lives with fake smiles. We are so overcome by shame, embarrassment or fear it's no wonder many of us suffer from depression and stress. Hiding behind lies doesn't promote healing or positive growth in our lives. Until we learn how to share our stories with courage, we will not be able to be happy healthy people. We are required to own who we are and to become a better person than yesterday. This takes courage. Sharing your story is the first step. It will not only open the window to healing but also open many doors to inspiring others.   

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Be well and Stay Healthy

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Fitness is to Better Our Life Not to Be a Burden

Fitness is awesome! I believe we can all agree on that statement. It makes us feel good, look good and should motivate us to continue the lifestyle. Health is about living a quality life and the true definition of fitness.

How can something as fabulous as fitness be considered a burden to so many? Workouts and eating right are almost considered dirty words. Many even use exercise as punishment for unhealthy food choices.

People are walking around pissed off at fitness because they're not fit. Does that make any sense? Instead of working toward quality life and health, society continues to not take responsibility for their choices.

Processed food marketing and a fast paced world have captured the attention of millions. Obesity is growing at an epidemic rate and researchers are scratching their heads for answers. We believe in fitness in a bottle and burning body fat sitting on the sofa.

Our mental game about fitness is skewed. How we think about ourselves, life and health need to change. Slowing down and taking notice of our priorities would be a great start. We make time for what we feel is important. Ask yourself that question: Are your health and fitness important?

Fitness needs to be a positive priority in our life. It's time to realize fitness is to make our life better and never feel like a burden.

Read more health and fitness articles on my Sports Nutrition page on Verywell!

Read 5 Things You May Not Be Doing to Reach Your Goals

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Stay Healthy ~ Darla 

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COMMITMENT MATTERS

As Valentine’s Day is upon us tomorrow, I think about commitment and how it not only matters in my marriage but also in my fitness and overall health.  They both take dedication and work right?  Think about that: if you cheat on your marriage, it will not work…if you cheat on your health, it will not work…see what I mean.  In order to maintain a happy, healthy relationship, it takes commitment, effort and work on a daily and consistent basis.  

In this journey of life, I have learned what I do and do not want, and I certainly have found a gem in my husband and cherish our relationship as top priority.  I feel the same way about my fitness and realize that my life is a precious gift worthy of my time and attention to reduce the risk of illness and maintain a healthy quality of life.  Commitment is a word that I do not use lightly and is a promise that I will maintain my relationship in a healthy way with my hubby and with myself. 

Really, I do not need a special Hallmark day to tell me that, because every day is Valentine’s Day in my life with my honey and my health.  I treat both with tender loving care, appreciation, time and attention.  Commitment to the things that matter is important and believe me, there are plenty of “busy things” in life that just do not matter.  I like that motivational saying “when you are committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results”.  I believe in seeing positive results in my marriage and health and if I do not take the healthy action steps to make that happen, that is on me.  I have worked too hard and long in my life to not make the most of each day, and  appreciate what good health and true love feels like.   

I will be fifty soon, and it has taken half my lifetime to reach the maturity of emotional, spiritual and physical well-being that I understand today.  The bumpy road along the way was difficult, but through patience, perseverance, and commitment to want more for me in every aspect of life, the journey was meant to be and is always a “to be continued” story.  The importance of commitment is also patience through the process as nothing happens overnight.  There is no such thing as here today and gone tomorrow and rushing life to get no-where is certainly not on any page that I am writing.

I dedicate this Blog to the love of my life, my best friend, prayer partner, and greatest support I have ever known.  To my husband:  I love you “Forever and a Day” and every day is Valentine’s Day with you. 

Thanks for stopping by my Blog, hope you enjoy the content, and if you have not become a follower yet, I would love to see your face on my friend's list.  If you are inspired, LIKE my entry, leave a comment and I look forward to responding!

StayHealthy!

Darla

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MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I wanted to take the time to wish all of YOU a very Merry Christmas and an upcoming safe and Happy New Year.  WOW…can you believe how the time has gone by in a blink?  Life truly is like that you know and it is so important to cherish every moment, and really take in the meaning of things.  We get so caught up in busy, busy, busy, that even relaxing has become a stressful event…WHAT???

Believe me, I used to be one of those busy people who felt that time was utilized for work and if I was not doing something productive every minute then I was wasting valuable time.  This can really create a self- inflicted guilt trip that dares a person to even place their backside on the sofa for a minute…back then, it caused too much anxiety.  So, I buzzed around like a bee all the time and I did not realize how much of life I was missing.  I was too busy trying to make a living and not make a life. I truly thank God for my older, wiser, better self who has slowed the pace of my life down to a healthy balance and I can now see the world and everything all around me with much more clarity for many years now.  It is absolutely awesome to take deep full breathes and not feel on edge about this and that, and let go of thing that really do not matter in the big scheme of life.

Lately, my husband and I have been surrounded by people in crisis through illness, death, and job loss.  Our hearts have been touched, pained, and our knees bent in prayer for those that we care about.  It is times like these that life does not make sense, and even can provide a fear and a desperate cry for protection of our lives, relationship, finances, and all things meaningful in this life.  There is no amount of money that replaces a person, and that is when it is realized that all that busyness is for nothing.  It is so important to have a heart of gratitude, and thankfulness because there are people out there who are praying for the very things that I/you/we have that are taken for granted.  I know this sounds like heavy stuff, but it really is just a share of how important it is to realize how important life is…it is truly a GIFT and there are no guarantees of how long the gift of being here will last.  I do know that taking care of this gift of life is what I am supposed to do, and taking care of my physical, nutritional, emotional and spiritual health are all a part of that plan.  That is what I share with you here on the Blog…ME to MOTIVATE you, and if I have touched one person, inspired, encouraged, or helped in some way to better the quality of life for someone…then I have accomplished my goal. 

As I sit here typing my thoughts to you, I wonder what you are thinking, feeling, and how your life is going?  Are you caught up in “too busy” and not making time to take care of you, missing out on family and friend opportunities, not making a call to that person that has been on your mind, and other meaningful things that you think about  but are pushed aside each day because that busy voice keeps taking over? We never want to be in a position of regret and saying, I wish I would have done this or that, because at that moment it is too late.  Life is about taking those important things and doing them now.  Tossing the “too busy card” is a necessity to have a healthy life and that is really what this post is about. 

I understand the importance of work, but we all have the ability to create a healthy balance of life through choices, changes of priority, and our overall mindset of what we think and feel about life.  My wish and gift to all of you this Christmas, is that you all step back and really allow yourself to relax and get into the moment, develop a heart of gratitude, see with the eyes of a child and play with such freedom of non-care that it is contagious, laugh until your belly hurts, and be REAL in your sharing with your spouse, family and friends.  Adapt such a balanced, healthy lifestyle that everyone will be asking YOU what you are doing to get healthy, because it all starts between the ears and shines through with your actions.  Take good care and Merry Christmas!

ME and My Girls

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Stay Healthy



Darla

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