How could I possibly lump these together, you may ask? Lazy? Getting bored with the theme? Nope. For me, they simply mush together… even as I sit here writing, it is a rare “snow day” in Ontario where most of the city is still in bed or enjoying a lazy morning. Me, I am heading out for a run. I see the white snow as opportunity that can’t be missed. A chance to feel the wind, find the Zen moment and challenge my older than I would care to admit, body. For me, that is my definition of HEALTHY LVING (Value #3) I rarely travel without running shoes and when my husband and I are fortunate enough to get away on our own, active travel is usually the way we go. To others “HEALTHY LIVING” might mean vegan, local organics, a vitamin regime or logging hours at the gym. Personally, my addiction to vanilla cupcakes would certainly get in the way of any of those. But to all of us that put HEALTHY LIVING in our Top 5 Values , it is a priority that we put in front of other obligations when we can, are committed to for the long term, not just January, and incorporate it into our everyday lives and the lives of our families. Not sure it is appreciated by my kids all the time, I can be a bit tiring. I feel that health can’t be bought – but we all need it . It needs to be cherished and respected.
What does “healthy living” mean to you?
What do you eat or drink or don’t eat or drink? What do you do for your mind? Your body? Or do you buy into the Calorie counting/Calorie Burning spiral?
What is your own style of healthy living? What are your day to day choices that make me feel, well, WELL?
SELF-AWARENESS AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT.(Value 4), fits right in for me because I try to “exercise” my mind and my soul too. I can’t live without it. Now it probably does not make me the life of the party as I am not particularly good with chit-chat and small talk, but hopefully some find me somewhat interesting at least some of the time. However, I am pretty sure that self-awareness part of me, well, that sometimes just makes me downright annoying (insert husband and kids). But I have come to realize over time, it is vital for me. Perhaps it is a result of getting married later in life and that solitude that I felt that allowed me to have more time to ponder, perhaps it was out of necessity because things as they were, were not quite working for me … but I always trend towards asking myself a lot of hard questions with the hope that it makes me a better wife, mom, daughter, sister and friend.
It’s strange isn’t it, that it’s so mind bending to try to be self aware. At each life stage, it’s a voyage of discovery. It is continuous and the answers change over time … So…
Who are you now? Are the choices you are making still right for you? Have changes in your life or just in you, warranting a new way of thinking?
INTELLECTUAL CHALLENGE and PASSION (Value 5). Exercise for the body, exercise the soul, recognize the pattern, and yes, now the brain! Needs context, right?. Early on in my working career as a Tax Accountant at what is now one of the defunct Big 6, I learned that being intellectually challenged and passion are actually quite separate and not necessarily achieved from a job. Oh vey. It was dry, dry, dry and so clearly not for me. But I was surrounded by people who loved it! I was so envious of their passion. After 2 years, I left and went back to get my MBA in Marketing and there I saw an environment that fit me. Stimulating professors, students of different backgrounds and disciplines and a wide range of subjects to combat monotony. Finally, I felt the passion in the learning. That is of course, until I graduated and starting working … most of my jobs were for the most part stimulating and challenging but they lacked passion. So once again, I looked outside of "the job" and starting getting involved with not-for profits, there I found passion. People who cared and I found I cared, a lot too. The learning, it 's hard to get everything you need in one place and sometimes you need to supplement. And so the dance began, the continual search for challenge, compassion and caring. Add kids, a spouse, financial responsibility to the mix and there you see where the steps get more complex. But some might say, that’s also where the fun begins and the big questions, the little ones, and the day to day choices that create the day that is my life. Aaah, thank goodness for Vanilla Cupcakes.
Which choices are automatic, semi-automatic for you? Are you traveling entirely on auto-pilot? Are you finding the time to choose? Are you challenged by your job? From activities outside of work? If you stay at home, so find you need to challenge yourself in other ways?
NEXT WEEK:
Start of our 13 Women 13 Definitions of Success Series. Have any women you think should be profiled, email me at Lori@BlomingBetty.com. I would love to meet them!