Listen to what your body has to say

When some think of wanting to be mobile at an older age or right now, most people believe that losing weight is the ultimate goal. They assume that with weight-loss, more mobility will naturally be achieved. Unfortunately, this isn't true. I know lots of people who are trim and still have very limited mobility. You are probably wondering, "Well if you look good, what does it matter how mobile you are?" You would be right, if we didn't need basic mobility to fully experience life. Everything from sitting on the ground to play with your kids to being able to open and close your hand once your older, is part of mobility and getting the most out of life. Mobility involves exploring movement and moving as often as possible. So, my challenge to you is to stand up and think of every joint in your body. Try going through a check-list and moving every single one at least once. If you do this regularly, you will keep from injury and could build lots of incredible movement patte...

Do you ever wonder how someone goes from being unable to do much athletically to becoming an incredible athlete? It doesn't just happen. They must learn movement patterns. Take something basic like crawling. If you do it properly, it will build movement patterns that influence other movements. If you are good at crawling, you will inevitably be good at climbing because they are very similar movements. There is always a way to scale-down or scale-up on any given exercise according to your skill-level. Just remember that any movement is better than no movement. My challenge to you this week is to find someone who is really good at a particular movement and try to learn from them. Remember: Who is wise? One who learns from all. - The Talmud

What is your primary motivation for living a healthy life? Before you answer, let's consider most people's reasons for any kind of health-conscious living. Many people believe that if you look a certain way you are automatically healthy. Well, the basis for almost every diet and/or workout routine is to change your physique, in turn giving you the appearance of health. I propose that a better approach to health is to remove vanity from the equation altogether. Instead, look at health from the standpoint of eating closer to nature and exploring nature through movement. Then, you will find more self-assurance than you ever have before and experience a new spiritual awakening. So, my challenge to you is to take a full week and try to ignore how you will look from your diet and/or fitness routine. Don't even consider it. Instead, focus on how you can apply your movement in nature, experiment with exotic fruits, or try a new raw ingredient, and simply enjoy the earth.

Radical honesty with ourselves can open a new doorway in our connection with other people. For example: if you are scared of caves, you should be honest with the people around you on a hike about your fear. Rather than masking your insecurities, expose them so that those around you can help you to overcome them. By being radically honest with yourself, you are able to share your experiences with others in ways you may have thought weren't possible. This is a huge step in growing as a person. These experiences will give you a new level of appreciation for the uncomfortable situations in life. So, my challenge to you this week is to open up to someone about a fear and try to get them to help you overcome it. Allow yourself to be a little uncomfortable because only through being uncomfortable can you learn to be comfortable with yourself.

         Growing up I think we all enjoyed rolling in the grass, climbing trees, and racing each other to see who could run the fastest. So, at what point in our lives did we stop calling it "play" and start calling it "exercise"? Vanity dictates how our culture views physical exercise. We see movement strictly by what we can get out of it, instead of just enjoying it because it's fun. What if we tried to not think about how many calories we are burning or which muscles we are building, and just enjoyed what our bodies are capable of? My challenge for this week is to take time to play with a relative that's younger than you and see what games they come up with (preferably outside). I guarantee it will be not only fun, but very beneficial for your body in many ways (and possibly harder than you think). Let's try to enjoy experiencing movement instead of just making it about how we look.

People think that fear keeps them safe, but does it? Sure, perhaps a fear of snakes may keep us from going outside as much and therefore reduce our chance of getting bit.  But, I have an important question to ask: as human beings, what truly makes us happy? I believe happiness comes from new and original experiences. If the fear of stepping into the uncomfortable is not conquered, we will be at a greater risk of mediocrity or even depression (which is essentially a slow death). So, let's try to get comfortable in the uncomfortable. Go out and seek an original experience, particularly something that you have always been scared of. If you have a crippling fear of snakes, go take a nature hike with a friend. Conquering your fears can give you new sources of joy and a sense of accomplishment. I promise you, it will be worth it.

       Do you ever wonder how some people make it through life? How they got a job? How they are able to drive and vote. Perhaps we are looking at it the wrong way. What do those simple-minded people have that we don't? They have the ability to live in the present and truly get everything out of life. You could say that by being simple-minded you can truly focus on what matters. You don't spend a lot of time focusing on things that you can't change. So, my challenge to you for this week is to go to the lake barefoot and jump in. Be mindful of every sensation your body feels. Focus on the experience: what it sounds like when you hit the water, how your skin feels, what it smells like. Live in the now and you'll truly start living.