Its Not Always About Physical Health

I read Psychology Today magazine religiously, it seriously is like a bible to me. My husband Neil is taking his masters degree and one of his courses was on eating disorders. He was reading an article in PT and when finished popped the magazine in the recycling bin. It was garbage day and I was taking the trash out and noticed the bright front cover of PT so I picked it out of the recycling bin.

The article Neil read was on behavior change. Not only did I read that article I read every one in that issue and continue to read PT on a regular basis. The latest article I read that resonated with me was on Relational Values and its importance for our mental health.

There is so much written by so many people on what we should do to keep our bodies physically fit, to prevent disease, to live longer, to live healthier from a physical perspective. But there is not a lot written by many people on the emotional/mental aspect of health.

Many people know they lack self confidence, self esteem, feel anger, depressed etc. but  they many not know why they feel that way or how to get themselves out of feeling that way. So their mental health is one of the spokes not lined up in the wheel of life. (I love riding and every time I see a balanced wheel spin - it is my analogy for a healthy life). We all know how important relationships are to our mental health and the PT article explained how the value we place on these relationships correlates to positive mental health.

The article in PT goes on to talk about the importance of relationships in ones life and of a concept called relational value. This is the value we self impose on the relationship with important people in our lives. If we don’t feel we have any relationships or we don’t value those relationships we have a huge void in becoming a healthy human.

Humans are social creatures. I live in Winnipeg where per capita we have more restaurants then anywhere in Canada. We socialize in places like coffee shops, restaurants etc. Look at the social media revolution. It is easier to link up with people all over the world than ever before. We wouldn’t think anyone would have a problem finding a relationship.

But its not just finding people to socialize with its about the value you place on that relationship. Its about the feelings you and the other person express, the thoughtfulness, sacrifices made, etc show the value that is placed on that relationship. It  is also about how we respond to changes in a relational value. 

The PT article tells how a positive change sparks happiness, pride, love, joy etc and how a negative change may spark hurt, anger, resentment etc. It is how we learn, grow and move forward in our relational changes that helps create who we are. But it is how we value ourselves that is of huge importance. We need the balance between self focused and community focused to be healthy. Our self confidence, self reliance, achievement, power balanced with giving, loving, compassion, self sacrifice will bring about healthy relationships.

Sometimes people know they lack relationship value but don’t know what to do about it and sometimes people deny, or put up a wall that doesn’t allow them to have relationships and doesn’t allow others in that may see the relationship with you as value.

The author Gregg Henriques, Ph.D. of the PT article goes on to say he believes the “high paced, economically driven, highly complex society, we have inadvertently created a society that has many, many cracks for people to fall through. People who feel devalued and who don’t know how to change and who don’t know what to do with their feelings that result”. 

Dr. Henriques goes on to ask whether as a society we should be looking at ways to measure relational value. 

Perhaps we need to work toward developing a society that utilizes relational value to increase positive mental health. As someone who works at keeping all the spokes balanced in my wheel of life I know the importance of relationships and the value I place on them has such a positive impact on my body, mind and soul.

                                      

I AM AN OLYMPIAN!!!!

Okay those who really know me, know that I am not an athlete that actually competed at the 2012 London Games. However, lets think about this carefully, is 2016 out of the question? Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro! How cool would that be!  

I just watched Clara Hughes compete in road cycling at age 39! There is a member of the Canadian women’s rowing team who is 53!!! Okay she doesn’t actually row but sits in the bow and barks out the tempo and hey I’m between 39 and 53 soooo maybe?

My point is age has only a part to do with your chances of being on an Olympic team. Your will power, skill and bodies ability to endure plays a role. Of course there are some sports that younger athletes do better in, so I just have to choose my sport wisely! 

Archery for example in London 2012, Karen Hultzer (RSA) was the oldest woman on the archery field at 46. Remarkably, she had never picked up a bow before five years ago. I tried it once in high school and liked it, although the bow string hit my forearm and left a welt as big as a softball and I couldn’t hit the target.

What about fencing? I think it looks cool, the shiny armour dress and headgear and those gloves, oooh I’m all over that! I’ve never actually poked a sabre at anyone, but practiced with broom sticks jousting with my daughter Sarah. One of us usually got smacked on the hand and then ended up tickling the other into submission. I guess tickling your fencing opponent might be frowned on? Just a guess but not sure the Queen would approve, all that giggling would send her into a tizzy. 

There is shooting then. I shot a gun once in Piney Manitoba at the gravel pit. My dad and uncle would line up old cans and bottles and we tried to shoot them off a fence post. I can’t remember actually hitting a target and I think I hurt my shoulder once.  Hmmmm this is getting harder. 

What about horse jumping? Ian Miller on team Canada is 65 years old and competed in London 2012.  I like horses and I rode a few times, never fell off either. Not sure I want my horse to jump while I’m on its back. Yeah I think I just dropped horse jumping from my list and I’m way too young!

Is knitting, crocheting, basket weaving or bracelet making (I only use those small plastic beads that my nieces share with me) Olympic events yet! 

Alright maybe Olympic blogging, tweeting or messaging athletes IS the way to go. 

Wow, all those sports I played in high school. Basketball, softball, volleyball, soccer, even women’s ice hockey when women’s ice hockey wasn’t cool yet! I was super athletic growing up. Tennis, badminton, golf, curling (a lot of curling- on ice and off, poker straight hair) just to name a few. Played field hockey in university for one term, but that ball was sooo hard and those sticks whacking against my legs—oooh that hurt!

And come on I lift weights, do TRX, crossfit, road ride, trail ride, toss a basketball now and again, swat at a birdie when I can find someone to play with, fling a frissbe err I mean disk, and throw a football.  All athletic feats in my mind! 

So I guess that’s it, I missed my opportunity to participate in the Olympics. So at 49 calendar years (even though my mind is telling me I’m only 29 yrs), I’ll stick to my own Olympic prowess and my own gold medal standings!  My own competitions and pushing myself to my limits. That is my personal growth for awakening my body, my mind and my soul! I am an Olympian!

And you, be the best athlete you can be! Get back on track no matter what sport you play, no matter what your athleticism level, you know- “Play Safe and Have Fun”, it is the participation that matters.  “Just Do It” stop talking about starting an exercise program, And .....“Go”!