April Monthly Motivational Message - Getting More Movement

It's easy to come up with many reasons as to why you can’t add more physical activity to your daily life.

Work, chores, obligations, and responsibilities consume most of your time and energy. You may feel like you barely have time to breathe, let alone exercise.

That’s all the more reason to include movement in your life!

Remaining in a sedentary position for too long can:

• reduce blood flow
• slow down our metabolism
• reduce flexibility

Over a period of time, the effects of sedentary lifestyles add up, which can increase the risk of chronic diseases, and mental health issues.

You Don't Have to Run a Marathon

Since we’re so used to our sedentary lifestyles, we tend to underestimate the amount of movement we can build into our day. We assume that we can’t reap the benefits of exercise if we can’t commit to a full-length workout routine.

You don’t need to completely overhaul your life. You can start by simply looking for ways to combine exercise with daily activities.

You’ll be surprised how easy it can be to fit fitness into your life.

Every small step in the right direction counts.  

Move Your Body! 10 Excellent Reasons to Boost Your Movement

Find Something You Like

There are many ways to add more movement to counter the impact of all the sitting that we do.

• Set timers to get up and move around for just a couple of minutes.
• March in place.
• Do some stretching exercises throughout the day.
• Get up frequently to stretch your legs.
• Go for a walk after dinner.
• Take the stairs.
• Take a mini dance break while you do laundry, or other chores around the house.
• Plan family trips that include physical activities such as bike rides, or hiking.
• Try working out while you watch your favorite show.

Setting simple goals can help you to be more intentional in adding movement to your everyday life.  

Physical activity releases mood-boosting chemicals that make you better equipped to handle daily stressors.

Short bursts of activity can offset the negative effects of sitting for prolonged periods of time. Even those few minutes of stretching or walking can go a long way in improving your balance, strength, and coordination.

The mobility improvements strengthen your mind-body connection, which leads to a cathartic emotional release, bringing in a sense of relief, and lightness.

Moving More Will Give You a Boost

The more you move, the better you feel.

Keeping a record of your mood and energy levels over a period of time can make it easier to build a sustainable movement routine. When you feel good about your achievements, you are more likely to stay committed.

These exercise breaks help you to be more mindful of your posture, how you carry yourself throughout the day, and the impact it makes on the mind-body connection. 

Seeing your progress will inspire you to make healthy lifestyle choices, including your diet and the way you respond to stressful situations.

Eventually, you’ll find new, creative ways of incorporating movement into your daily routine.

Tune in to your body.

Let’s get moving!

How NEAT Movements Add Up to Better Overall Health

Throwback to April 2024's Monthly Message: Prioritizing Self-Care

The only constant in your life is YOU.

You may find people who will support you along the way, but ultimately you have to walk your path alone. 

You're the only one who can heal yourself.

It goes without saying you are the most important person in your life.

And yet caring for yourself is so often an afterthought.  

Why Don't We Prioritize Self-Care?

"I don’t have time to take care of myself.”

Sound familiar? Many of us use this excuse to justify ourselves.

It's true that we have countless things to juggle at the same time. From dawn to dusk, we are running around attending to work responsibilities, maintaining relationships, and caring for our loved ones. 

So many things demand your attention every day.

And that's precisely why you need to put yourself first. You must prioritize your needs and keep your cup full because your daily demands will exhaust your resources.

Self-care doesn't always have to be elaborate or time-consuming.

Self-care is about understanding what actually matters.

Spend time getting to know yourself - from the thoughts that crowd your mind, your response to others, to what you put into your body and mind.

We Need to Do the Work

What you allow into your life impacts your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

When you take the time to understand yourself, you're less likely to suppress your needs or sacrifice your own well-being for other people.

We allow ourselves to be distracted by outside influences because we don't want to deal with our inner turmoil. 

But unless you do the work to heal yourself, you will remain oblivious to what you're truly capable of achieving. 

You're the only one who can build up your strength and resilience.

Self-Care Can Be Practiced Any Time!

You can practice self-care anytime and anywhere.

Each time you practice positive self-talk, you're engaging in self-care. When you give thanks for each little thing that goes right or take responsibility for your mistakes, you're embracing the power of self-care.

Other examples of incorporating self-care in your life include:

• Maintaining strong boundaries
• Finding self-compassion
• Taking the time to really understand what kind of life you want
• Being honest with yourself
• Eliminating junk food 
• Giving yourself permission to let go of things that no longer serve you
• Getting a sufficient amount of sleep every night
• Celebrating the small wins throughout the day
• Blocking out time to meditate 
• Planning where your money will go
• Curating your social media
• Loving your decisions, even when other people don't agree with you

When you see yourself as worthy of care, you begin to live with more ease and confidence. This sense of self-assurance helps you to attract the best possible outcomes in every aspect of your life. 

6 Different Types of Self-Care and How You Can Practice Them→

To Thine Own Self, Be True

It’s so easy to be influenced by other people and difficult situations.

Staying true to yourself amidst life's difficulties takes courage - and that courage comes from believing in yourself. Stay true to what's good for you, even when it's hard.

Stay firm in your values. Nothing is more fulfilling than living a life that is true to you.

Remember, you are worthy of care. 

Throwback - Monthly Motivational Message April 2023 - Kindness

Everyone has a unique story.

We all take different paths. We may not always understand other people, or know their full story. But at the end of the day, we're all humans trying to do our best to navigate life.

We all encounter negative experiences and hardships that take a toll on our well-being. 

It's so important to choose kindness every day.

We need to do our part in stopping the perpetuation of hate and negativity.

Use your experience and knowledge to make someone’s life a little easier. A small act of kindness can leave a lasting impression on another person.

Being kind is so powerful. 

Being kind can save someone's life.

We Don't Know What They're Dealing With

You may never know what they're going through. But those few moments you spend with them could help them find a renewed sense of hope.

Performing acts of kindness allow you to form a beautiful connection with another human being. A feeling of satisfaction comes with being kind and helping someone out. It helps you to heal as well.

Kindness allows us to overcome differences, and connect to the inherent goodness of humanity. Everyone needs compassion.

This month, set a goal to perform at least three random acts of kindness. Do what you can to make someone's day a bit better. 

There's a lot of power in positive words and actions. Look for opportunities to show compassion and share your gifts. 

Small acts of kindness can remind people that there's still good in this world.

Don’t wait for someone else to take the initiative. Start taking advantage of every opportunity to do the right thing. 

Also, you don't have to do big things to inspire other people. 

It doesn't take much to put a smile on someone’s face. Saying a few encouraging words to someone having a bad day, leaving positive notes around, or offering your seat on the train can go a really long way in making someone's life better.

Your act of kindness can inspire other people and they might do the same for someone else. 

Small acts of kindness and positive behaviors make a big impact and create a positive ripple effect.

Photo by Ketut Subiyanto