What inspires you? What motivates you? What makes you excited? These questions can help us get up in the morning and get the most out of the time and energy we dedicate to activities throughout our day. How? If we answer these questions in a few sentences, perhaps we can either remind ourselves of what we enjoy doing or we can discover new goals we want to achieve. The ambition to experience fun and invigorating new adventures, interact with energizing environments, or complete projects is fulfilling and rewarding. However, monumental goals, whether short term or big and audacious, require a certain amount of energy, time, and preparation. Having something to look forward to is potent fuel to prepare us for special moments, whether a few days away, three to four weeks from now, a few months, or even years.
The arena of lifetime fitness pays substantial dividends to our ability to enjoy what we look forward to. A few examples of events that might produce feelings of excitement on the horizon for hard-working parents, employees, or the retired population can span anywhere from a weekend getaway to a nearby location or a trip to Europe in celebration of monumental accomplishments like a 60th birthday, a college graduation, or retiring after a long career. Another example might be the draw to feel and look the best for a wedding for oneself or a friend. Additionally, preparing for recreational sporting events such as a golf tournament, long-distance run, pickleball, or tennis tournament requires a refined fitness level. Let’s not forget about a few of the more simple things that might occur every weekend that are a bright spot in our lives such as throwing a baseball with our kids or grand kids, walking or taking hikes with loved ones or friends, having the ability to bend down to pull weeds out of the garden, refinish a piece of furniture, or move a Kitchen-Aid stand mixer from one side of the kitchen to the other. These activities don’t necessarily require a hyper-athletic fitness model like physique, but existing in our everyday environment with less fat mass, more muscle and strength, and extra energy unquestionably assists us in enjoying and savoring moments we look forward to.
Adhering to a healthy lifestyle, exercising regularly throughout the week, and abstaining from activities and environments that could harm our health doesn’t come without challenges. After a long day of work, a cold beer, a few glasses of wine, and chips and crackers while paroosing through the multiple sources of sporting news, Instagram and Tik Tok feeds, and Netflix shows is psychologically and emotionally comforting and decompressing. A homemade dinner consisting of vegetables, a lean protein, and a glass of sparkling water at the end of the day probably doesn’t sound as appealing as a slice of pizza or taco dish delivered from one of Napa’s amazing restaurants brought to our doorstep by Doordash.
As humans, we usually gravitate toward the path of least resistance. It’s easy to eat whatever foods we think taste good without any care for the consequences they might have on the amount of fat mass we have on our bodies. Lounging around and enjoying more than a few glasses of beer, wine, or cocktails after a long day of sitting at a desk for eight hours is relaxing and doesn’t take much effort. However, if these activities of consuming too much unhealthy food and decreasing physical activity occur too often, the experiences we look forward to in life can be threatened because we didn’t take care of ourselves.
Finding a bright spot on the horizon that we embrace with anxious anticipation is a potent tool that helps fuel motivating factors to live a happy, healthy, and strong life. Whether it be spending time with others, preparing for an event in which the body needs to be optimally conditioned, or planning a monumental vacation, maintaining a healthy and active life supports these events we look forward to. It takes additional motivation, effort, and concentration to abstain from activities that hinder our health goals. Additionally, it also takes effort to exercise two to three days a week and practice healthy eating habits. However, if we dig deep and tap into what inspires us and focus on what we look forward to, perhaps building a path to be happy, healthy, and strong can empower us to enjoy the events we cherish in the future.
Sean McCawley, the founder and owner of Napa Tenacious Fitness in Napa, CA, welcomes questions and comments. Reach him at 707-287-2727, napatenacious@gmail.com, or visit the website napatenaciousfitness.com.
