It’s good to stay in shape. There are plenty of health problems that come from being out of shape and over sedentary . Sometimes we create issues by focusing so much on one area, we wind up lopsided. A rower who focuses on pulling with one arm more than the other goes in circles. We run in circles by focusing on one area of fitness. There are many.
Here are just some areas … physical, mental, relational, spiritual, intellectual.
- To be physically fit, we get off our butts a few times a week and get our heart rate up. Walk, run, pilates, stairs, tennis, swimming, whatever.
- Our mental fitness could come from taking walks, quiet time, reading pulp fiction, or screwing off on Facebook. Doing things we enjoy that help us relax.
- Relational fitness means spending time with people we care about and care about us. This can be friends, spouses, colleagues, mentors, prospects. Relationships take time and a bit more interaction than Facebook. Sorry.
- Spiritual path is different for each of us. It depends on your “walk”. Who’s your God, and how does He or She say to worship them? Most spiritual paths involve a form of meditation, prayer, doing good by our fellow man. So those could be good starting points. If your spiritual path includes a book of scripture, cracking the book open between major holidays could work, too.
- Sharpening our intellect often means challenging our brains to adapt. It’s been found that reading, Sudoku and crosswords do not shape us up as we once thought. Reading’s certainly good to gain new information and perspective. Sudoku and crosswords may be better suited for our mental fitness. Doing things we’re unaccustomed to doing is the best way to maintain our brain’s elasticity. Got two left feet, take up dancing. Don’t know how to draw, sign up for a local drawing or painting class. Prefer Frost to Feynman? Take a basic physics course. The more we challenge our brain to adapt. The more resilient it becomes.
We go where we look. Our life is a product of our focus. Where we focus, we become fit. What kind of shape are you in?
Maybe it’s time for a new fitness program.
