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