As I sit here trying to finish the critical items on “my to-do list,” I am feeling the pressure of time, the pressure of meeting someone else’s demands, the pressure of not letting anyone down including myself. I am perplexed on how I allow myself to get this way. I know the demands on my time are intense and I am grateful, I know the work I do as a trainer is important to those I serve but the pressure I put on myself to constantly be “available & ready” is self-inflicted especially when I preach so much about self-care and downtime. Yet I still find myself more often then not in this situation.
Knowing this I can understand how you and I can get into that mode of I will get to my diet, exercise, and overall well-being AFTER all the demands of others are met. Holy-McMoley-Batman!!! Do you hear what is wrong with this statement?
This year has been quite the eye opener in many ways for me. I had the honor to care for my father for a little more then half a year before his passing. This was one pressure that I allowed and was honored to have. I learned more during that time about myself, the value of time and how the demands of others are not important unless you make them to be. Let me explain. My father never touched a drug in his life, always followed societal norms and always let the needs of others come before his own. His reputation of character was second to none. Yet my father had many regrets. He wished he would have traveled more, he wished he would have “had more fun,” he wished he had taken more chances, he wished he had cared for his health much more then he did. See he would always tell my mom the company comes first, the family comes first, and it was always someone else before him. This made him a great man in the eyes of others, yet he suffered greatly for it at the end.
Do not get me wrong – we need to be in service of others to lead a value driven life. Yet we cannot fall prey to the pressures of such a life as we must take care of ourselves. See my father can no longer provide the care and passion he did now that he is in his grave earlier than he should be. This is the point of my message today. Do not succumb to the pressures of life where it begins to affect your well-being. Your health and wellness come first no matter what the situation because if that fails you will never be able to care for others.
During these crazy times let this be a reminder to always focus on your health and well-being and if you have not, just get back on the saddle and start again. The pressure of being perfect or being “back where you were before” is “B.S.” We only get this one life – lets live it to the fullest and longest we can with the quality we deserve.
We stand ready to help you wherever you are at in your journey.
Start Strong, Stay Strong & Always Be eVOLV Strong
Your Trainers – C.J. & Team eVOLV