Building a Health Vision that Lasts

What Does "Thriving" Look Like for Future You?

Last Saturday, we celebrated my birthday with a fun little Retro Zumba party🥳. Seriously, it’s wild to think the '80s, '90s, and 2000s are now considered "retro"! But isn't that just how it goes? I haven't met many people who actually feel their biological age is a real match for how they feel inside!

With each passing year, health seems to take on a slightly different meaning, especially as we watch those around us age and collect our own aches and pains.

As a kid, I didn't think much about health aside from scraped knees, the chickenpox, or how much Halloween candy might make me want to throw up. In the following years, health became synonymous with torturous mile-runs in PE class, basketball practice, and Richard Simmons infomercials playing on TV (funnily enough, I never connected my ballet classes to fitness back then!).

As a young adult, health took a backseat to appearance – think questionable dieting advice from magazines and challenging my Irish heritage by overdoing it in tanning booths. Very little thought of the future was given in favor of miracle fixes and instant results.

Finally, in my thirties, health took on a totally different meaning. Exercise became my go-to for stress relief, and Zumba transformed into both a creative outlet and a job. I started to feel the daily difference made by what I put in my body, how much I rested, and how much I moved. Changes were slower, but newer habits seemed to be “stickier.”

Now, in my 40s, I've noticed another shift. While I still care about how I feel presently, I'm also looking much further down the road, asking myself: What kind of health vision do I have for "future me"? Not just for the next two months when I'll be in a bathing suit, but what would I like my health to look like in ten, twenty, or even thirty years? What skills do I want to maintain? How much independence do I want to have for daily activities like walking up stairs or using the bathroom alone? Which chronic diseases could I be at risk of developing? What would it truly look like to be "thriving" at any age?

Giving focused thought to "Kathleen of 30 years in the future" makes her feel less like a mythical character and more like a real person. It helps me cut through the noise of what I think I "should" look like or do, and instead, focus on laying the groundwork now for her sake. This groundwork involves daily habits that benefit us at any age: movement, proper nutrition, adequate sleep, injury prevention, regular healthcare checkups, and strong social, emotional, and mental care. These cornerstones of wellness consistently contribute to health across the lifespan and can make a difference at ANY age. (Source: CDC Healthy Aging )

So, here's a challenge for you this week: Take just a minute to envision yourself thriving 10, 20, or more years down the line. What does that look like for you? And what is one small, repeatable step you could take today that could grow and be built upon to make your vision come alive?

If you feel inspired, share with us here!As a quick note, please take a peek at the calendar for July, as there are a few class cancellations. I'll  be traveling from July 23rd to August 2nd, but don't worry, I've got you covered with plenty of online classes while I'm away!

Let's keep working and dancing our way to healthful futures together!

Keep moving!

xx,

Katie