Hey friends,
Happy Monday! I hope that you enjoyed a restful weekend. As I write this, I’ll be honest with you. My weekend was hard. On Friday morning, I received word that my uncle passed away. He had recently been placed on hospice after a 3-year battle with cancer, but it is still hard to accept that he’s no longer with us. Seeing my mom experience the pain of losing a sibling has not been easy, so I have tried to show up for her. As if grief weren’t enough to handle, my little one started coughing on Saturday night. I woke up each time he coughed, so this made for a difficult night of sleep for both me and my husband. Needless to say, I’m feeling all the feels today, but I’m also looking forward to the month ahead.
October Goals
During October, I plan to focus on my mental and physical well-being with new fervor. This month makes one year since I’ve been on medical leave from my job, and I want to do all that I can to improve my health. To do my part, I am making it a goal to close my Exercise, Stand and Move rings on my Apple Watch every weekday this month. This is a huge undertaking for me because I often struggle with wanting to exercise. It’s not been the easiest habit for me to build, but making a few changes is helping me stick to it.
Exercise has had to become about more than losing weight for me. It has turned into a means of me bettering and showing up for myself. It is also a way that I can thank my body for not giving up on me this past year. In my last blog post, I wrote about identify-based habits. So I now identify as a person who exercises 5 times a week. It’s just what I do. Another big help has been having a group of friends who can see my workout stats and cheer me on. This added accountability has been huge for me. It’s helping me make closing my rings a regular part of my life. So to inspire you to get more workouts in, I want to share 3 reasons why we should all commit to moving more this month. And, none of them have anything to do with how our bodies look. Also, I am hosting a movement challenge this week with my friends on Instagram. Details will be at the bottom of the post if you want to join in!
Reason 1: Endorphins Make You Happy
I am someone who struggles with my mood regularly. PMS, Mercury Retrograde, lack of sleep, gloomy days, being an Enneagram 5, and raising a fearless toddler all have big impacts on how I feel. I stay in my head and struggle to get out and produce. But when I exercise, I feel like I can conquer the world. That’s because of endorphins! Elle Woods from Legally Blonde said it best. “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy.” Check out this short video and/or this longer video to learn more about how exercise makes us happier.
Reason 2: Lower Your Chance of Developing Chronic Illness
Physical activity is good for many things, but one of the most important is preventing illness. Last year, I developed a rare illness called Hypereosinophilic Syndrome. Essentially, my body makes too many eosinophils without a known cause. Eosinophils are a type of white blood cell. If not treated, the excess cells can attack my organs and create damage. Having a chronic illness is life-altering. Although not all diseases are preventable, I encourage everyone to do what they can to prevent developing an illness. Exercise can help us steer clear of diseases like diabetes, osteoporosis, cancer, and more.
Reason 3: Small Victories Lead to Bigger Ones
I don’t know about you, but in this season of life, I need every win I can get. Small successes like making my bed and loading the dishwasher before bed keep me going. On days that feel hard, getting a 30-minute workout in helps me feel accomplished. I know that if I can complete that task, I can finish the next one. I would bet that you likely experience this in some way, too. This is of my favorite talks on the power of getting an early win. It’s SO motivating.
So, if you are looking for reasons to get moving this October, I hope these inspire you to do it. If you are interested in our move challenge, download the Challenges app and enter code “2JXM.” We will be tracking our movement week-by-week for the entire month. I can’t wait to have you join us!
Thanks for reading,
Brittany
