It's a sunny day in the USK! I write this often. But is it true? Not everyday. But if I want it to be true, how does one maintain a "sunny" life, especially in an area plagued with frequent rain showers, gray skys, and overall gloom and despair? Too dramatic? I think not. Trust me. I live in the pacific northwest. While this area is beautiful, the populous, in which many suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) - depression, would most likely agree with the above description. People in the pacific northwest are Vitamin D deficient. We live for the summers. We long for the sunshine.
So then, how does one maintain a so-called "sunny" life?
I am not in the business of providing answers but rather ideas. This is why I've decided to devote a few posts that examine this idea of living a "sunny" life. Sunny/healthy, these words are synonymous in my vocabulary. I'm like Superman in this regard; we're both reenergize by the sun. Therefore, I associate health and happiness with sunshine. So here is the first of a few ideas that I frequently practice to promote a healthy and balance life in the USK.
During "share chair," yes this is what I actually call the author's chair in my classroom, the students often ask fellow classmates, why he or she choose to write the given piece of writing. The response if often, "I don't know, I had nothing else to write about." If one were to ask me why I felt compelled to share this piece of writing, I'd explain that these thoughts are the bi-product of many conversations, observations, and quiet times of reflection all revolving around the idea of living a well-balanced, healthy life. At the core of my being I believe so strongly in living a life that is healthy and full of joy. And so this is how it came about that United State of Kate shared a few thoughts about health. Enjoy!
For starters, when I think about living a healthy and balanced life, the following revolutionary thoughts come to mind (intentional sarcasm included):
1. There is the physical form of health and wellness. One which necessitates exercise and physical activity of some sort, wherein energy is exerted.
2. Then there is also the idea of mental health; being of sound mind.
3. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, there is a rather indisputable need to have a healthy heart.
Now, I know what you're thinking, "Wow! Thank you, Kate. You've just rocked my world with this information about healthy living." I know. I'm brilliant and I'm just getting started. Remember I said I wanted to devote a few posts to this topic. This is post number one. Brilliant!
So, lets look a little closer at item number one - exercise.
Why start here? It's as good a place to begin as any. Especially since these three are so closely related. Also, here's the thing - I like must exercise. Seriously, it's essential to my survival. Lack of exercise causes me to become what I like to call street-rat-crazy. Don't believe me? Ask Tron.
Here is a cool thing about exercise too, contrary to popular belief, it doesn't necessitate a great deal of time. In fact, as little as thirty minutes of physical activity a day can have invaluable health benefits that lead to an improved quality of life. Don't believe me? Totally cool. Here is a video that says it better than I can.
Start living a "sunny" life. Invest the next 10 minutes in yourself. Love yourself enough to watch the following video. Do it. Do it.
