Health: what a LOADED word that is. It can mean so many different things to so many people and, sadly, most of us still struggle to define it in a truly healthy way.
My adolescent brain associated heath with weight and athleticism. As a 16 year old, going into my junior year of high school, I trained all summer in the hot and blistering sun to attend a soccer camp at what would eventually be my college alma mater. All of that hard work was put in to obtain athleticism and yet… that time was really just a thief of joy because I never felt good enough… no matter how much energy I exerted. Countless days during camp left me nearly crawling back to the dorms, feeling nauseous and fatigued for the majority of the summer. My hard work and consistency paid off though. I made the varsity team that year only to sit on the bench because the coach had her own methods of not allowing her subs to play, if she did, it was never for long. Due to her warped coaching agenda she single handedly ruined soccer for me. After playing soccer for 12 years I never played again after that year. Dramatic? Yes. Absolutely. However, I wish I could go back and tell my younger self during that season of life how proud I was that I did not allow my mental health to go through the abuse of that ignorant coach. Instead, I used my own, hard earned money and took private tennis lessons after school and around my work schedule my senior year. Again, my hard work had paid off, I was captain of my tennis team. High fives, 17 year old self for being competent enough to re-route that energy into something positive (a major enneagram 7 trait, I’ll blog on that in the near future).
In college, fad diets and an unattainable image of what women were supposed to look like was the standard. Although I wasn’t particularly mad at my weight or pant size, I was constantly striving to be smaller which translated to petite, cute, attractive… UGH. I remember looking at all my beautiful girlfriends and thinking I was the largest one of the group (*facepalm*) when the truth was I actually wasn’t and probably had slight body dysmorphia at the time. Also in my 20’s, I did fall victim to fad diets. There was, however, one fad diet in particular that was a 24 day challenge which made me rethink my cooking skills and try some fun food switches like using spaghetti squash instead of pasta (who knew?). Although I am not a fan of fad diets because they are usually not attainable for the long term, I did enjoy improving my skills in the kitchen and still reference several of the recipes from that challenge. I like to lovingly refer to ‘the experimental food phase’ as a major advancement in my appreciation for food and eating thoughtfully. Food is fuel! It really is AND we are allowed to enjoy it too. I learned that I could make a vegetable soup that tasted delicious and ALSO have a cookie with no shame or punishment at the gym. What a liberating concept!
Now I am in my early 30’s and looking at health in a completely holistic way. I have the experience and maturity to understand that health is not only about weight, athleticism or food…it is about your mental health, financial health, spiritual health, work/business health, and relational health. Health takes EVERYTHING into consideration which is why it is such a loaded word. We all search for what health means because to be healthy isn’t one specific answer. When I write out my health goals now compared to when I was younger my goals include budgeting my finances, incorporating spa days, traveling, daily prayer & gratitude, sleep, meal prepping, movement, career goals, and lots of family time. The vision I have of myself at my healthiest looks like hiking up a mountain barely winded, cooking meat and veggies over the open fire, with my husband and friends laughing nearby, bare feet in the dirt, security of a job and a home to come back to after this idyllic, healthy, and welcomed getaway. And during this getaway I envision being well-rested with energy to explore and swim in the alpine lakes. I will also see my family when I get home – we’ve made dinner arrangements. I am out enjoying God’s creation where I honestly feel the most spiritually connected. I am happy, I am content, THIS is what HEALTH is.
If you’re reading this, I hope it is a reminder that there is more that comes into play with your health than diet and exercise. How do you envision yourself at your healthiest?
The Salty Exchange 