Are you stuck in a cycle of Unhealthy, Sick, Tired, Injured, In Pain, or Full of Complaints?

What’s your excuse? Or are there multiple excuses getting in the way of you taking responsibility and care of your body and your health? Is it easy to complain about what hurts, not ever getting around to doing something about it? Or, the plan is to rest until nothing hurts and then you’ll start exercising? (Meanwhile, your body is getting weaker, stiffer, heavier, more lethargic…and the aches and pains you started with don’t seem to be getting better at all!)

Excuses I often hear people say are: “Pilates is so expensive.” “I can’t afford private lessons.” “I’m too busy, and don’t have time to schedule Pilates 2-3 days a week.” “My job keeps me working long hours, I’m too tired to exercise.” “My kids have a lot of extracurricular activities and I’m the one that has to be their chauffeur.”

It’s not just doing Pilates that these excuses come up for, it’s anything that might be a positive step to take better care of your health, regardless of how you choose to do it!

All these excuses are keeping you from living your optimal life! There are a million reasons that can steal your time, and one big reason to make time and take care of you anyway.

Your #1 Priority Needs to be YOUR HEALTH! Today, Tomorrow, and Always.

Think of it this way… If you’re not healthy, how the heck are you going to be able to earn a living, take care of yourself, your kids, your family? Do you really want to spend a good chunk of your income on doctors, medications, surgeries…things that aren’t really going to improve your quality of life? I’m not saying to stop taking your medications. There are reasons why we need medicine! But the healthier you are, the less likely you are to need as much and there may be a chance that (under doctor’s supervision) you can get off your meds completely!

I spoke with a friend recently, someone I really look up to as a health professional. We’ve known each other for more than 20 years. And over the last few years, his health has taken a turn for the worse. He was the last person I’d ever expect to really get sick. In the process, he almost lost everything. But with a determined attitude and a shift in priorities, he’s put himself first – but it was because he had to! And the comments he made to me that made the biggest impact, “With everything else I’ve had to sacrifice, I never compromised on what I’ve been eating.” As tight as his budget has been, without money to spend on necessities – he never sacrificed eating clean, healthy, organic, nutritious foods! And now instead of “working” and helping clients for 8,10, 12 hours a day, he might work 3-4 hours. What takes up the other 20 hours a day? Taking care of himself. Diligently striving to regain the strength, health, and mobility he lost by not listening to his body and doing something about it sooner!

Can we recover from serious injuries, accidents, and illnesses – YES. People do it all the time. The people that enjoy a full recovery don’t let excuses stop them. They are motivated to keep a positive attitude and do whatever is necessary, whatever it takes, to get well and stay well.

The conversation with my friend really stuck with me. On some level, we all know that “You are what you eat!” and that “The body is a Temple.” But truly, how well are we really taking care of ourselves? Do we really rest to fully recover when we’re sick? If we get hurt, do we go to the doctor – follow recommendations – stop doing things that hurt to aggravate whatever injury we’ve incurred? Avoid eating the things we know are un-healthy, or that we’re sensitive or allergic to? Are we pro-active to get check-ups, eat healthy, exercise, get adequate rest to ensure that we’re doing all we can to maintain our good health? Or is life spent partying like there’s no tomorrow, until you’re facing the fact that your body can’t handle the stress and abuse you’ve put on it and there might not be a tomorrow?

I’ve battled with depression and more weird, physical ailments that I can count. Some years I’m in pretty good shape; other years the ride is a rollercoaster of emotions and physical health challenges. It’s almost a game of bouncing between pro-active and reactive! When the body feels good, it’s easy to just coast along, do whatever you want and not worry about how it might be affecting you. Until the moment that something hurts or isn’t functioning properly, then the mindset shifts into reactive mode, scrambling to figure out what’s wrong and how to fix it – willing to spend every cent to make the pain go away. How much of this could be prevented with a more proactive lifestyle and a few less excuses?

It’s not just exercise, it’s not just diet, it’s not just getting enough sleep, it’s not just managing stress… It’s about being more responsible to take care of everything. To balance work and play, rest and exercise, social time and alone time. It’s about nourishing body, mind, and Spirit.

Sometimes we really do know what to do, we’re just not doing it. Other times we need a little extra support, advice, counseling, or expertise to help guide us in the right direction.

Getting to the point where we confidently understanding what to do to start bridging the gap between thinking about doing it – and doing what’s required with dedication and consistency will lead us to the happy, healthy life that each of us is destined to live.

Exercise has always been a priority in my life. But I must admit that in other areas, I’ve not been quite as diligent in the self-care arena. What excuses are you ready to let go of? What areas of your life are important to re-evaluate, and prioritize to be more pro-active to take better care of your health? What can you start doing today to release the excuses that have kept you stuck in a cycle of unhealthy habits? The time is NOW to move yourself up to #1 on your priority list – You are Worth It!

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