Thankful for Health

This year I have much to be thankful for. Opportunity. Freedom. Friend. Family. Friends who became family. A new fiancé. An able-body. This time of year I reflect more than usual and take a moment to think about where I’ve been…and set an intention and reset my attitude as I think about where I want to go. A few years ago, my brother (a very talented elite triathlete) was very sick and in the hospital for several months due to a heart complication. We prepared for the worst as we watched him fight for his life every minute of every excruciating day. After a truly miraculous recovery, his team of doctors agreed that he was able to turn the corner because he took such good care of his body and was “in such good shape.” At that moment, it really hit me that working out isn’t about what you look like. It is about being strong from the inside out. Being healthy is more than being “toned” or how much you can lift. Being healthy is about being mindful about how you treat your body holistically. Being healthy is more than looking in the mirror and liking what you see. It’s about understanding how (and wanting) to take care of what you can’t see.

We only have one body, and it is crucial to eat right and be physically fit.
Instead of looking at fitness as a burden or a chore, it should be looked at as an opportunity and a gift.

I am so thankful for my ability to move, and my ability to have a choice to exercise or not — because I can. I’m so thankful to have my family’s health, my friends’ health, and the health of my clients. The body we have is the greatest asset we own, because it the vehicle in which we live our lives. Yes, there are things we don’t like or things we want to change about our bodies, but it never ceases to amaze me what a body can do.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!