Emotions are something I haven't really addressed here on Health Infusion. When I think of wellness and health, main topics that pop up first are fitness, nutrition, well-being, mental health...but emotional health is a vital part of being able to handle all of the above mentioned topics. In fact your emotional health is many times the driver in the car of wellness.
Emotions dictate essentially if your needs are or are not being met. If you are happy about your life, and you have warm fuzzies inside of you, that need is being met. If you are lonely or sad, the need to connect with others is not being satisfied.
Our feelings are our emotional needs being expressed. Our facial 'expressions' is one way of how we communicate with one another. Just watching a person's face can tell you volumes of how they are feeling: joy, pain, anger, frustration, grief, surprise.
Body language is another way to show our emotional needs.
If a person is joyful, their body language is usually very open
and inviting. If one is experiencing grief or sorrow, their body is usually closed, arms crossed in front of them, they are hiding their facing and curling into a ball.
Emotions and feelings facilitate the need for respect, acceptance and understanding, basic needs for all human beings. How frustrating is it when trying to hold an important conversation, expressing how you feel about something, and the person you are talking to doesn't emote any expressions indicating how they are feeling? You feel disrespected, misunderstood, or possibly pushed away because they are not, or will not, accept what you are trying to convey.
Emotions are what connect people together. Feelings unite us. When you feel the same as another, there is a compatibility, and understanding that someone cares. You may feel loved.
So how do YOU handle your emotions?
We all know individuals who fill both sides of the emotional spectrum when it comes to handling them. Some people internalize their feelings and don't show any emotion at all. Others fly off the handle at the mention of anything that can be considered emotional-an accident, death, relationship breakup, etc. Where do you lie and how do you deal with it?
Do you ask yourself how you feel about something? Is the feeling healthy and is it how you want to feel? Maybe by consciously 'checking in' on your emotions, you could handle a situation better, talk with a friend in a healthier frame of mind, or stop yourself from overreacting.
Emotions are a powerful tool that really control the underlying side of why we do what we do in our lives. So take the time to check into your emotional being and ask yourself if you handle your emotions in the healthiest way possible. You might discover something about yourself you didn't know-that you can make positive changes for you and others through your exploration. Now get to feeling emotionally healthy! :-)
I have been in the health and fitness industry for over 21 years now and it has been a wild ride (which is really amazing since I'm only 29.....Yeah, right!). I love that I have never tired of its changing tides and am continually inspired by it. I was a trainer before certifications were required and also taught group fitness classes for over 17 years. It is a constant learning environment where every person you train or connect with teaches you something new. I have seen this industry change drastically in the last two decades, especially in the stereotyping of it.
Training has evolved from just 'getting a client in shape' to specialized fields in Sports Specific training, Weight Loss and Management, Functional Motion, Post Rehabilitation, Senior programs, Children's programs, working hand-in-hand with Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, and Doctors, and training employees through Corporate Wellness, just to name a few.
So WHY am I telling you all this?
Because this is what I am passionate about. I am a corporate wellness specialist because of my years of training. I love what I do. I love the material, the people I work with and the companies who hire me to increase their employee's level of wellness. I feel so blessed to find my niche in this field and am lately feeling inspired to grow this niche in my local community in Spokane, WA, as well as nationally.
If you read this today, give a shout of thanks to your support systems in your life for what you have and for the job you perform. Hopefully you are as passionate as I am about what you do.
I am writing my musings today, in the role of a personal trainer, in hopes of inspiring you to follow your passion and take care of your health. If you don't have your health, you don't have much else.
If your company needs some healthy infusion of inspiration and wellness, I'm your gal. Contact me.
live with intention.
walk to the edge.
listen hard.
practice wellness.
play with abandon.
laugh.
choose with no regret.
continue to learn.
appreciate your friends.
do what you love.
live as if this is all there is
~mary ann radmacher
~Merri Lou Franzella
Core Strength-an essential to perform in your workouts and imperative to efficient movement function. If your core isn't strong, injuries are bound to occur, especially as the chain of movement is moved to your joints.
When referring to the 'core' the reference is not to the '6-pack' of abs that many people are driven to have, but more to the deep set of muscles that lie within the abdominals and the back. These set of muscles attach more specifically to your pelvis and spine and work on movements such as flexion, extension and rotation of your mid-section.
Why are these muscles so important to keep strengthened? Because they stabilize and provide balance to our daily living activities and beyond. From picking up pieces of equipment at work or the gym, core strengthening is essential for prevention of injuries.
There is some great equipment that can be used at home or the gym to work on your balance and strength. By using equipment that provides an unstable surface, your body on that equipment is forced to work against gravity and balance so it won't fall off. Some of my favorites pieces of equipment are (linked descriptions are attached):
Stability Ball http://exercise.about.com/cs/exercisegear/a/exerciseball.htm
BOSU Trainer http://exercise.about.com/cs/exercisegear/a/bosu.htm
Foam Roller http://exercise.about.com/library/blfoamrollerworkout.htm
Wobble Boards http://exercise.about.com/gi/o.htm?
Yoga and Pilates are also a great class to take for core strengthening.
Take the time to incorporate these pieces of equipment into your exercise routine for a great change-up from performing just 'ab' exercises such as crunches. Your benefit will be greater and your body happier!
