Looking back at my lifewriting, specifically the steps of my journey I have shared via Choose to Stay Well and with a greater appreciation of my mission, I am discovering a truly amazing pattern.

Knowledge empowers.

I was unconsciously tracking the steps of this developing pattern when I endeavoured over a month ago to begin sharing with you the steps that have brought me to where I am today, from education, both formal and informal, to life experiences and lifewriting.  It was in the culmination of some fantastic interactions with EFT practitioner and life development coach Cheryl Laird, my person and personal trainer Erin TeWinkel, T'ai Chi Instructor Nick Mann and my sister Samantha that I began to appreciate the real impact of this pattern that exists in and for all of us.

First, accepting and knowing who, where, when, how and why we are provides you with the vital mental and emotional grounding force we need to move forward with any strength and energy towards goals and dreams.

Second, building an understanding of your body based on solid knowledge of the soft and hard tissues of the body and how they move and stabilize is essential.

Third, create an awareness and appreciation for the digestive system and what foods and supplements are really giving you and doing for you as an individual.

Fourth, engage your brain in your life.  This is the key.  Work daily to evolve your knowledge and acceptance of yourself, tracking your progress towards daily and longer term goals and objectives. Move mindfully, using your bones and muscles and joints wisely and efficiently and evolve and adapt to changes and limitations.  Slow down your foodways, choosing, preparing and consuming foods with a mind to the processes of chewing, digesting and the power that certain food provides.

By engaging your brain in your life and in these tasks specifically you begin to reinforce all of the patterns that your body loves and lives for.  Everything comes down to energy, electricity.  Your brain and your heart are the tools we have to transmit this energy and the more direct and efficient the lines of transfer, the greater our extra capacity to move forward, towards your dreams.

 Choose to live in each moment, thrive in each moment.

Choose to Stay Well. 

I believe that there are opportunities in life every day but more often than not we miss our chances to dive in so I am taking advantage of this moment.

The title of this contribution is something I have been trying to make a habit of for the past few months and I think this is an ideal moment to reveal its power.  Although past my bed time, the energy of this moment will hopefully carry me forward such that I might give you a glimpse of my life and what it means to 'lifewrite'.

We all know that life happens and it has for me over the past couple weeks.  It has happened in the shape of projects and exams as I wrap up another semester of my continuing education.  It has happened in the form of a Guelph Little Theatre production of Little Women I will be appearing in later this month, and it has morphed further in the milieu of an evolving plan for Choose to Stay Well Inc., its services, joint ventures and promotional efforts.  Perhaps the culminating event leading to this writing occurred over the weekend in the form of a lecture by Dr. Brian Clemente.

Watching and playing with the fluid shape of my life over the past months has been exciting and liberating but often leaves me at ends.  Lifewriting for me has been a tool to bring cohesion to this fluidity and the perspective I have been given by the choice words of Dr. Clemente has enabled me to look even further into the venture of lifewriting.

Making a lasting change in a lifestyle, workstyle or healthstyle means making a commitment yes, but it also means sharing that commitment with yourself and others.  For myself I have come to realize that if I want to make a real change I need to work with my community to make it known that I am out there to make a change and help people find the tools to make their changes. 

For me this commitment is to become a lifewriter and share with you my trials and tribulations as I seek to find the tools towards the total wealth and total health I dream of for myself, my clients and my fellow Canadians at the very least.  Lifewriting for all of us is a chance to keep track of our progress towards our dreams- be it simple self-discovery or a journey to optimal health.

Lifewriting for me will be one of the ways I can begin shaping the cultural shift I dream of for Canada, for my community and myself.  This is my first public effort at intentionally and simply lifewriting and it begins with expressing my acceptance.  Acceptance that I need consistency to reach my goals and I look forward to sharing my journey with you and with the full intention to make my journey contagious.

My dream is that my lifewriting will awaken something in you and I encourage you to share your dreams and hopes and begin to lifewrite daily along with me. 

One of the services that Choose to Stay Well Inc. offers (affectionately described as "Nutritionalist" by its fantastic and fantastically talented musical artist and client, Lesley Pike) describes all too well the title of this article.

Essentially this service of day-long healthy lifestyle maintenance is customized to the goals and daily needs of each individual client towards creating as much balance in each day as is realistically possible.  In particular Lesley represents an interesting challenge when it comes to creating and maintaining healthy habits and Choose to Stay Well Inc. and myself are happy to take this opportunity to congratulate her publicly on her efforts towards meeting her goals for health, wellness and beyond.  To put things into perspective I want to paint a picture of her most recent tour of the North Eastern United States.

The day technically begins at 11 pm the night before as last minute packing is finished and the mornings food is laid out, ready for the hectic morning to follow starting at 5.30 on a good day.  This is to be the norm for the next 7 days as evening performances, morning flights and afternoon drives, sound checks and meet and greets eat up the time to give the body what it really needs to make up for the stresses endured.  Extended bouts of sitting are common, typical food provision is mediocre at best and schedules are unforgiving.  The time, temperature and climate changes take a toll as well and when put together a state of near constant fight or flight stress is the norm.

It is this picture that Choose to Stay Well Inc. walked in to that first evening.  The reality is that making changes, physically, mentally and spiritually is challenging enough and when put into the real world of each client often becomes even more so.  The steps that need to be taken, as designed by integrating the information and strategies suggested by other health practitioners, sometimes cannot be taken every day so instead of punishing the body, mind and spirit for being unable to, practices need to be shaped to help sustain the body and give it support for the extra burdens it bears.  When there is time for more intense exercise towards specific goals it is taken advantage of, but when the activities of the day limit the time and mental energy to partake, the little windows need to be used and wisely.  This does not mean 'killing it' for 15 minutes but rather incorporating practices to balance the stress of life while simultaneously stimulating the repair processes of the mind and body.

Sometimes slowing down is one of the toughest things we can do, but when done it elevates our abilities to really push ourselves when the time and place is right or necessary.  Evening stretches, strolls, yoga and breathing exercises became a norm for Lesley and myself over the next days and even within just a few sessions differences could be felt, especially if one allows ones self to listen and respond to the body.

Keeping it real is not preparing a plan for yourself to make you reach the cultural ideal realities for health and wellness, it is being realistic to present goals, budgets and limitations and building your personal practice around those limitations that are there today.  The goal is to build a health and wealth in health that can supply you with the ability to take advantage of the time and energy that opens up to you as your health provides you with the energy to move beyond present limitations towards individual dreams in health, wealth and living. 

Choose to be honest with yourself and keep it real.

In health,

Scott Tate