Align Body, Mind, Spirit to Live a Connected Life

Let’s get a couple of things straight: I love junk food and I would prefer not to exercise (though I do).

But, I also like breathing, walking to the mailbox without getting winded, and wearing the same jeans week after week.  When it became harder to meet those last goals, I decided to get to work on bringing my body, brain, and spirit into  alignment to meet my jean-wearing and other physical health goals.  I set out a plan. Took several steps — and I mean baby steps — to help me create a healthy daily routine I could live with.

Instead of my usual approach to exercise which last about a week and consisted of strident goals like:  “I Must Exercise 7 Days A Week For the Rest Of My Life or 50 Years Whichever Comes Last,” I set the bar veerrryyy looowww with:  Get 20 minutes of activity a day, three days a week.

Some days, my daily “exercise” was dancing with my daughter at home, or pulling weeds, or shopping at the mall, or vacuuming. Anything that had me physically moving, counted. Soon, though, my 20-a-day turned into 40 minutes on the treadmill in the gym. Then I worked with a trainer and added weight training and crazy things happened.  I got stronger. I felt better. I developed a healthy habit.  And, I was reminded that a healthy body can be a light-filled extension of our spirit.

Here are some of the other practices and beliefs I follow to keep things moving in a healthy direction and stay aligned with my body and spirit.

Seek out personal bribes. Buy new sweats and shoes. Reward yourself with a new Ipod to use during workouts. Do something that inspires you to exercise. When I know I get to wear new sweats, I am more excited to go to the gym.  O.K. so I’m a simple-minded creature, but I’m just sayin, appreciating those little things makes the world go round.

Embrace the Cheeto effect. I became very aware of what I was eating and when. I eat everything that I want, therefore, I never feel denied. I also don’t feel compelled to scarf up the whole bag of Cheetos out of fear I’ll never see another one. But, with my awareness, I tend to make healthier choices instead of mindlessly eating junk. The better I feel, the less crap I want to eat. Now, when I do drop a Cheeto, I enjoy it, rather than feeling controlled by it.

Move it. Do 20-minutes of some activity every day. Dance, walk, vacuum, garden, hit the gym. Plan for it. Build it in. Do it. Move it.

Drink water. This one is easy peasy, but your body will be better for it. I drink water throughout the day and have also added some in the morning before I drink my coffee. It helps clean out toxins and hydrate the body for the day.

Administer some self compassion. Get over yourself. So you are not 5’10 with perfect body and skin and hair that conforms to your every thought. Who cares? Really. You are a marvel just by being human. Learn to respect that. Learn to appreciate all that your body does to keep you breathing. Look at yourself in the mirror and give thanks – out loud – for what is working. You are amazing, make sure you notice.

Set the bar low. You don’t have to lose 20 pounds in a week or run a marathon or give up the cheesecake. You do have to make a concerted daily effort to add one healthy thing into your life – meditation, exercise, vegetables, social interaction – and discard one thing that isn’t fueling you in a healthy way. You can do this.

Focus on what you like. Friend and trainer Sherri says to do the exercise you like. If you like gardening, garden. Is walking your thing? Then, walk. Hmm, I thought. Well, I like to lay on the couch and read books. And, that, according to Sherri, is not actually physical exercise. Honestly, I’m not much for exercise, but I LOVE the way I feel after and I like that I have an hour to myself to listen to my books on tape or jam to Hootie,  (yes, people, I get the Hootie is old news, but I still like my Hootie) during a workout.  Find your perk. Focus on what you like about your workout – either during or after – those perks will inspire you to keep going.

And when your body is going strong, your spirit can soar.

Oh, and by the way, did you know healthy habits are part of building resilience? Yep. I’ll be talking about that and  the other core skills of resilience during my Daily Om class launching May 23rd. You really can bounce back from anything and use your own resilient nature to grow through life’s challenges. Learn how, beginning May 23rd.

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