‘Adapt-Improvise-Overcome’ A wellness Adventure
My passion for the outdoors brings a smile to my face and allows me to have mental and physical health. I get to explore all sorts of terrain including islands, woodland hideaways and beautiful coastal routes. Health adventures can take all sorts of shapes and forms.
I've eaten fresh fish on white sandy beaches and woke to the sound of the sea, or a nearby stream. My wellness adventures often take me on journeys, something that I wrote about in my last blog.
I haven't always enjoyed fitness and the outdoors. I grew up in a city and it wasn't till my late teens that I discovered cycling thanks to my sister Maggsie.
All things exercise including sprint distance triathlons followed in my 20's. Two decades later, I still compete, despite my arthritic knees and other injuries. Taking part connects me to inspiring people who all share the passion for competing and who champion each other regardless of ability and age. I have learned to enjoy the competitive element of triathlons without breaking myself.
Some take these events very seriously, with the top of the range kit and the hard core training plans. Others like me just rock up (often after a night of cold beer and dancing) and just enjoy the fresh air, the sunshine and that 'I can' feeling that is generated knowing that, regardless of your speed or position, you have lapped those people sitting on the couch watching television.
I love running. In particular running in the woods and in all sorts of weather, the more dramatic the conditions the better. One of the simple pleasures of this is the sensory impact of the changing seasons and spotting wildlife in the form of deer, woodpeckers, bats, otter, cattle and the occasional red squirrel.
Several years ago, a diagnosis of arthritis of my knees coincided with two other injuries. I struggled to find a fitness activity that I could enjoy. My training and my love of outdoor fitness became compromised and I wondered if it was time to hang up the running shoes.
I reminded myself that every situation you face provides you with an opportunity to adapt, improvise and overcome. After gloating in self pity for a short time, I discovered that the opportunity facing me was the chance to review my overall health needs. This gifted me the chance to discover the health maintenance activities that I had been neglecting all these years because they were less satisfying or fun, that would ironically let me keep fit and active into my wise old years.
I discovered that there are many ways to keep fit and there are maintenance activities that I need to do regularly to keep my body healthy, strong and flexible. There are also pursuits that I need to avoid at all costs if I want to stay mobile, and pain free.
I continue to learn to adapt my wellness activities each time I face a health issue so that I can remain fit, active and adventurous as I approach 50.
To this day continue to enjoy health adventures. I love camping, being in the wilderness, challenging myself with new bike routes, fitness escapades and exploring new places on foot and on two wheels.
So enough about me! How satisfied are you with your health and wellbeing? Have you experienced a health challenge or wondered how to influence your wellness whilst doing things that you enjoy? Perhaps you always wanted to be fitter and healthier but never knew how to make that happen!
Here are my top tips for a wellness adventure
If you need clarity on methods of improving your health, commit to ‘tasters’. Try a range of things to discover at least one form of exercise that 'floats your boat'.
Get clear on whether you want to share a fitness pursuits with others, or whether solitude helps you to top yourself up. (Workout partners can be a great motivational boost)
Promise yourself to spend at least 20 minutes every alternative day doing something that is good for your body. This will leave you feeling great about yourself.
Connect up with other people who enjoy getting active. Spending time with people who share your desire will inspire and encourage you. This can be contagious.
Get an activity tracker and challenge a friend to beat your fitness goal over this month.
Recognise the fun activities that make you come alive and contribute to your health... AND DO MORE.
Build a support team to inspire your wellness adventures. This could mean inviting someone to be a health buddy and setting challenges together or having positive people around you to champion you and hold you accountable.
Living a healthy and adventurous life means something different to each of us. What does it mean to you? My best hope is that you hold belief in your potential for health and wellbeing, even if you are not quite sure how to make that possible yet!
Your challenge, should you choose to accept it is to get busy recognising the fun activities that contribute to your health and help you to feel energised. Create new sustainable habits and build your support team to inspire your wellness adventure. Are you in?
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#100% Pure Polly – Living Life’s Adventure…
I plan to dedicate my next blog to the topic of mindset management
In the meantime I wish you all a happy and energetic week.
Do you want to know more about how to live your life's adventure?
