As women, we are wonderful at giving our energy to others while putting our lives and health on the back burner. Whether it’s a change in family situation, job, or simply having more or less time on your hands, it’s important to take stock of your general health and happiness, which are two things I firmly believe go hand in hand. Today I will break down how to recapture your health and happiness into five steps.
I’m not going to say the steps are simple or even easy, but they are extremely important for your well being. How do I know all of this? I’ve lived it over and over. I experienced challenges with having adequate time for my goals in my career while managing a triathlon store, and having three babies in five years makes reevaluation constantly evolving. One thing is for sure if I am not exercising in one form or another my brain and body are not happy. My biggest turning point in regaining my personal health and happiness was towards the tail end of 2014. I didn’t even realize how unhappy I had become. A few friends and I decided to let a woman who was training to be a life coach have a practice session with us. It’s a night I will never forget. All of my friends sat around a living room and were assigned the task of finding one area of our lives we weren’t experiencing joy. Mine was easy, I missed triathlon. I had taken a hiatus from the sport after recently having my second daughter. I had plenty of logical reasons I couldn’t participate anymore. I realized two things. First, I didn’t know how to participate anymore at a non-competitive level. My body had some definite lasting scars, and I didn’t recognize it anymore. My training friends didn’t take a three year hiatus and gain and loose baby weight. I didn’t know how to get started again and here’s the important part: I was standing in my own way! For all these reasons I didn’t know how to get started again. Interestingly enough, in the next few months, my friend, Kelly, and I made Tri it for Life Charleston a reality and the following year I founded She Tris. I thought there had to be more women just like me, ones who needed a place to start and I had to help them.
Your happiness is important. Let’s figure out what that means for you.
Step #1 - Listen to your inner voice
Listen to your needs, your desires, to what your heart is telling you. Is there something missing from your life? What is it? If you are out of balance, if you feel something isn’t right, if you know you are not giving yourself enough, if you know you want to lead a healthy life but don’t know why you haven’t started or can’t stick to it, this is your heart telling you you’re not going down the path it honestly wants.
So what do you do, how do you answer these feelings and questions? You start. Listen, then act.
Step #2 - Find your purpose, set your goal
What is it that energizes you? Is there something you once were passion about but now is missing because of work, kids, life, volunteering? Write down what you want for yourself. Whatever it is, write it down. Set a date. If it’s an event, register for it.
Step #3 - Determine your journey
Write down the steps it will take. Who in your life can help you get there? Maybe you have a buddy who shares a similar goal who will help hold you accountable. How will you restructure your day to make sure your purpose is being met? Involve your family. This can be a work in progress. You may think of things to add as you get started. Life happens. Be prepared to make adjustments. Prepare yourself in a way that works for you. Whether it’s getting your husband on board to help with the kids, creatively figuring out how/when to get in some training (crack of dawn, in the evening), whatever might work for you. It’s also a work in progress, please realize that and make adjustments. For me, I need a training buddy. I will never cancel on meeting that person, but I will think of a hundred reasons why I need to give the dog a bath instead of go for a run on my own.
Step #4 - Tell everyone
We live in a society that overshares. Now it’s your turn! Share your goal and your journey with your friends and family. You might be amazed with the support you receive.
Step #5 - Celebrate the achievements
No matter how big or small, celebrate the achievements along the way! Never stop finding ways to keep your journey as a top priority. I like to reward myself with new fitness clothing when I reach a milestone I set for myself.
Remember your purpose, why you are doing this and what it is in turn doing for you- recapturing your health and happiness. I’d love for you to share what works for you maybe it will help someone else, you never know!
Yours in Fitness,
Angi
I’m not going to say the steps are simple or even easy, but they are extremely important for your well being. How do I know all of this? I’ve lived it over and over. I experienced challenges with having adequate time for my goals in my career while managing a triathlon store, and having three babies in five years makes reevaluation constantly evolving. One thing is for sure if I am not exercising in one form or another my brain and body are not happy. My biggest turning point in regaining my personal health and happiness was towards the tail end of 2014. I didn’t even realize how unhappy I had become. A few friends and I decided to let a woman who was training to be a life coach have a practice session with us. It’s a night I will never forget. All of my friends sat around a living room and were assigned the task of finding one area of our lives we weren’t experiencing joy. Mine was easy, I missed triathlon. I had taken a hiatus from the sport after recently having my second daughter. I had plenty of logical reasons I couldn’t participate anymore. I realized two things. First, I didn’t know how to participate anymore at a non-competitive level. My body had some definite lasting scars, and I didn’t recognize it anymore. My training friends didn’t take a three year hiatus and gain and loose baby weight. I didn’t know how to get started again and here’s the important part: I was standing in my own way! For all these reasons I didn’t know how to get started again. Interestingly enough, in the next few months, my friend, Kelly, and I made Tri it for Life Charleston a reality and the following year I founded She Tris. I thought there had to be more women just like me, ones who needed a place to start and I had to help them.
Your happiness is important. Let’s figure out what that means for you.
Step #1 - Listen to your inner voice
Listen to your needs, your desires, to what your heart is telling you. Is there something missing from your life? What is it? If you are out of balance, if you feel something isn’t right, if you know you are not giving yourself enough, if you know you want to lead a healthy life but don’t know why you haven’t started or can’t stick to it, this is your heart telling you you’re not going down the path it honestly wants.
So what do you do, how do you answer these feelings and questions? You start. Listen, then act.
Step #2 - Find your purpose, set your goal
What is it that energizes you? Is there something you once were passion about but now is missing because of work, kids, life, volunteering? Write down what you want for yourself. Whatever it is, write it down. Set a date. If it’s an event, register for it.
Step #3 - Determine your journey
Write down the steps it will take. Who in your life can help you get there? Maybe you have a buddy who shares a similar goal who will help hold you accountable. How will you restructure your day to make sure your purpose is being met? Involve your family. This can be a work in progress. You may think of things to add as you get started. Life happens. Be prepared to make adjustments. Prepare yourself in a way that works for you. Whether it’s getting your husband on board to help with the kids, creatively figuring out how/when to get in some training (crack of dawn, in the evening), whatever might work for you. It’s also a work in progress, please realize that and make adjustments. For me, I need a training buddy. I will never cancel on meeting that person, but I will think of a hundred reasons why I need to give the dog a bath instead of go for a run on my own.
Step #4 - Tell everyone
We live in a society that overshares. Now it’s your turn! Share your goal and your journey with your friends and family. You might be amazed with the support you receive.
Step #5 - Celebrate the achievements
No matter how big or small, celebrate the achievements along the way! Never stop finding ways to keep your journey as a top priority. I like to reward myself with new fitness clothing when I reach a milestone I set for myself.
Remember your purpose, why you are doing this and what it is in turn doing for you- recapturing your health and happiness. I’d love for you to share what works for you maybe it will help someone else, you never know!
Yours in Fitness,
Angi
RSS Feed