{"id":523,"date":"2019-04-19T17:04:09","date_gmt":"2019-04-19T22:04:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lindagorchels.com\/blogs\/?p=523"},"modified":"2019-05-05T21:18:31","modified_gmt":"2019-05-06T02:18:31","slug":"well-being-template","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lindagorchels.com\/blogs\/well-being-template\/","title":{"rendered":"Well-being is a Way of Life"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

According to a recent Gallup\npoll<\/a>, Americans are among the most stressed people in the world. That’s why\nwe need to turn well-being into a way of life. It’s a puzzle with physical, mental,\nand emotional-spiritual components. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everyone has a different well-being puzzle. And it may need\nto change over time. What works when you are twenty-something may be different\nfrom when you are eighty-something.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am a \u201cplenty-something\u201d woman\u2014old enough to know I\u2019m not\nas smart as I used to think I was, but young enough to do something about it. I\nwas late figuring this out. But now I am infusing well-being into the core of\nmy life. Here\u2019s how.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Integrated exercise framework<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

My exercise framework is a mix of cardio<\/a>, strength, and flexibility each week. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I\u2019m at the gym, I prefer taking classes rather than working on equipment. The time is set, a room full of people provides energy, the trainers encourage effort, and the music spurs movement. My preferred cardio is a mixed-martial-arts class called Body Combat. It\u2019s my weekly high-intensity heart pumper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To build muscle\nand bone strength<\/a>, I take a weight-lifting class. Again, it\u2019s a set time\nwith people and music surrounding me. Using barbells with different weights, I\ncan focus on each of the muscle groups\u2014lighter for triceps and biceps, heavier\nfor squats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Yoga<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Yoga provides the flexibility training<\/a>.\nFor most of my life, I thought yoga was not demanding enough, and more \u201cout there\u201d\nthan would fit me. I was wrong. In the few years since I started yoga, my\nbalance, my mental outlook, and my flexibility have all improved. Connecting\nmovement with breathing has also helped my focus and energy. I am a convert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I don\u2019t go to the gym, I replace classes with other\nexercises\u2014hiking, walking, biking, landscaping, lawn mowing, snow shoveling. My\nFit Bit keeps pushing me out of my normally sedentary job. While there is no\nmagic number of steps<\/a>, I\u2019ve set a personal goal and I stick to it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s a challenge to fit exercise into an already busy\nschedule. But it can be built into daily routines. Take the steps instead of\nthe elevator (at least for a few floors). Park farther away in the lot. Keep\nhand weights by your desks. Do impromptu wall pushups when you take a break.\nTake opportunities to stretch whenever you can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exercise is my own secret weapon. It helps with stress,\nsleep, weight management, and health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nonstop learning<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Lifelong<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Expanding knowledge should be everyone\u2019s goal. We are never\ndone learning. But with all the technology around us, it becomes too easy to\nlapse into the passivity of pleasure-seeking experiences. With some effort, I\ntry to use technology to engage my brain in a more educational direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are many benefits to maintaining an active brain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n