As February (Heart Health Month) draws to a close, I wanted to write about something heart-related. In my last blog post about boosting emotional energy, I encouraged you to do something fun. I’m embarrassed to admit that I haven’t been doing too well with that goal lately. It’s harder than it sounds.
Another emotional energy booster involves doing something you love to do. When you’re doing something you’re passionate about, you gain energy, time passes quickly, and the activity seems easy—almost effortless, sometimes. I consider myself blessed to be doing what I love to do, both at work and in my animal rescue volunteer work.
Sometimes the “shoulds” get in the way of doing what you love to do. Recently I was talking with an H3 guest about her fitness activities during her stay. She was planning to go to a particular fitness class that day, although she really hadn’t enjoyed it the day before. She felt that she “should” take that class because she would burn a lot of calories. When I asked her what she wanted to do that day, she immediately said she wanted to spend the day in the pool and riding her bike. Her whole face lit up and her energy level was visibly higher. When you are doing something you love, you will look forward to it and be more likely to stick with it over the long haul. Isn’t that really your goal?
If your “shoulds” tend to get in your way, ask yourself “What do I want to do today?” Be sure to ask whether that activity will help you reach your goals. If your answer is “I want to lie on the couch all day and eat bon bons,” those behaviors probably won’t help you reach your healthy lifestyle goals. Perhaps a better question is “what do I want to do today that will help me take good care of myself?” Your answer may involve physical activity, or it may involve a little rest or fun/play. I hope you will spend the rest of Heart Health Month doing something you love.
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