"Long-term consistency trumps short-term intensity."
Taking caring of ourselves mentally, physically and emotionally requires dedication to maintaining healthy habits that contribute to our wellbeing and personal growth. It's a full-time job that can sometimes overwhelm us by the constant barrage of our daily commitments. Incorporating habits like practicing mindfulness, eating healthier and regular exercise, can do wonders for improving our quality of life. The key to reaping the benefits of healthy habits is persistent consistency.
I have incorporated a variety of healthy habits into my daily routine where I feel the benefits, so I am consistent with them. Eating healthier and practicing mindfulness have helped immensely with my physical and mental health. I have been neglecting exercise. I had not been running all winter and fell out of my regular practice of strength training and yoga. I'm certainly feeling the effects of it today as I suffered a strained lower-back muscle by moving some furniture yesterday.
Photo by Charlein Gracia on Unsplash
Fortunately for me, my sister is a physical therapist. After assessing me, she suggested certain yoga poses and keeping my back upright or flat for a few days. No sitting for long periods of time. It was a blatant reminder to me about the benefits of yoga, stretching and staying active. Before I go on runs, I always make sure to stretch my legs and warm my muscles up as a prevention measure. Yoga benefits and rewards us mentally, physically, emotionally and Spiritually. It's like the superfood of exercise! And there are so many different variations. I feel like this back injury was a wake-up call for me to keep an active lifestyle and be consistent with my exercise regimen, including yoga.
Just like a car, we have to make sure we are doing our own preventative maintenance on ourselves, mentally and physically. By neglecting important practices that benefit our health, we risk learning the hard way that we could have been taking preventative measures to avoid an injury or illness. I am grateful for this wake-up call, and will return to exercising on a more consistent and persistent basis. It does not take much time from my day, and I recognize it is an investment in my overall health that pays off in the long run. Being persistently consistent is how we reap the rewards and benefits of maintaining healthy habits. What healthy habits are you focusing on developing and being more consistent with?
More Wellness!
