Day 110: It Starts

I never make New Years resolutions.  Why?  Gradual change.  It's hard to keep a habit going if you don't implement gradual change into the behavior.  A resolution feels like an abrupt change in your lifestyle, to the point that you enter it without easing into it.

Do you think about how you will change?  What behaviors need to be modified?  Do you feel that change should occur immediately after the ball drops?  What if you don't meet the high standards put on you?  Do you feel of failure?  Do you stop?  Do you restart the following year?

I made a pact with myself after I found out I had HIV.  It just so happens that pact would be introduced after 3-4 months since finding out.

I made a deeper fitness pact with myself.

Since finding out I knew that things would be intense.  I gave myself space and thought of the things that really are important to survival.

According to the World Health Organization, there are three components to health and with the increase in each you, you become a healthier person.  Unfortunately you have to have balanced increase otherwise you plateau.  The three elements are mental, physical and social.  As the WHO states health is "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."

Here is my thought of each health areas.

Mental well-being is about finding that core emotional state of yourself.  It's about finding what makes you unique, exploring strengths and weaknesses and then finding the way to provide a centering and perfect balance so that any disruptions will only sway you.  Mental well-being is about discovering your weaknesses and improving them.  When you are at a better mental well-being failure is only a lesson that you will progress from.

Physical well-being is about bringing out the inner and outer stud/sex kitten.  It's pretty simple, eat well, exercise, and manage your stress.  Cardio fitness is only one part.  Stretching, weight training, nutrition and being kind to your body are the components to this area.  When injury happens (or a late night of drinking and dancing) your body will be available for faster and stronger repair.

Social well-being is all about the networks you surround yourself with.  This area is all about figuring out who is there to support you, who you need to aid in the over all improvement of yourself.  This area is strong when you have reliable friends and family to see that your improvement leads a healthier happier progression.

My focus on the last few months have been more on the social and mental area.  I have been working out a few days a week which is more than none but less than my optimum.  That's ok.  Why?  You can't over do all three areas.  You have to know where you are in each area and make slow progressions to increase each one.  All of these areas go up and down.  It's nature - not all of us can be Gods.  Even they had problems!

I knew when I got this that I couldn't handle it all.  Now I am at a point where I feel secure and strong growth in my personal centering as well as the people that give me support.  Now it's time to improve the vessel that lets this lame ass squatter stay free of charge.

How am I going to do this?

Slow commitment to myself, and increasing the priority I deserve.  Yoga teaches us to love our mind, body and soul exactly where it is.  Each day is different.  One day you are flexible, the next you can't move.  I make this pact to love myself at this point and to make appointments with myself to increase the relationship in the physical realm.

I have been eating nutritiously and I have been taking steps to decrease my stress.  Now it's time to find a work out plan, a menu for stretching and moments when I can increase my cardio health.

I possess the tools to do this.  Now it's about honoring the pact and making the steps in a slow secure growth.

It starts.  It starts now.