| There are so many theories on what it means to live a | | | | listen to that inner voice is important in determining |
| healthy lifestyle these days. For many years, "healthy | | | | what I need to work on to improve my emotional |
| lifestyle" was not even part of my vocabulary. Not until | | | | health. If it's telling me negative things, what actions can |
| I started getting older and realized I wasn't invincible, did | | | | I take to quiet that voice. An important aspect of this |
| living a healthier lifestyle even appeal to me. Today, | | | | process is to take it easy on myself by not trying to |
| there are a few things I concentrate on as part of | | | | take on too much. |
| living healthy. | | | | Starting out with small steps is one way I started |
| When you mention the term "healthy" most people | | | | learning how to have a healthier dialog with my inner |
| think of cardio, weight training, and dieting; but there's | | | | voice. For example, if I set a goal to start working out |
| more to living healthy than simply physical appearance | | | | more, I'll start off slow with small goals such as a |
| and care. What about mental health? One thing I've | | | | simple walk three times a week. There's a great quote |
| discovered is that working on emotional health can be | | | | I think of often by Francine Ward that says, |
| just as important as eating right and working out | | | | "self-esteem comes from doing esteemable acts." By |
| regularly. It's sort of like making sure you car has the | | | | setting smaller goals I'm more likely to follow through |
| right pressure in the tires while constantly running low | | | | and keep my inner voice on my side. |
| on oil; one decreases the effectiveness of the other. | | | | Living an emotionally healthy lifestyle is only one part of |
| When thinking about emotional health, the first thing that | | | | a total health and wellness program. Taking care of |
| comes to my mind is learning how to have a healthy | | | | your body as well as mind and spirit keeps everything |
| relationship with myself. For years I was oblivious to | | | | in balance. Part of a healthy lifestyle includes enjoying |
| the inner dialog I was having with myself. For instance I | | | | all things life has to offer. For my wife and I, that |
| would often tell myself I was going to start working out | | | | includes traveling and experiencing the cultural |
| or eating better, but when I would fail to follow through | | | | differences found in other parts of the world. Being in |
| my inner voice would start telling me what a loser or | | | | shape both physically and mentally greatly increases |
| failure I was for not following through. Learning how to | | | | our experience as we travel. |