In times like these, it is important to stay positive and stay on track with your fitness goals. Frustration and fear are in abundance in the news, but no need to stay focused on that. Self-isolation can be an excellent opportunity to improve your well-being and work towards your fitness goals. There’s plenty of time now to cook healthy meals at home and surely, you can run around the block or do some simple exercises in your living room to stay fit.
Positivity is feasible, but are you up to it?
Coronavirus is changing the way we view the world. We spend our time differently now, continually learning about the impact the pandemic has on our societies, our jobs. It’s not easy to stay calm. We all worry about the future and how to deal with everything. Sadly, we often let fear, anxiety, and worry take over.
You can’t travel, but you can look inside and find the good things.
Maybe, at first, we thought that this wouldn’t affect our community. But clearly, that is not the case. Everybody, every country, every community is affected. We all see change fast approaching and feel afraid. Change itself can cause fear, let alone what happens when it is combined with a pandemic. The result can be mind-numbing. But no more, not for me and not for you.
Time to hit restart and go forward, no matter what
OK, let’s start with facing those fears. It’s necessary to give room to all the negative emotions, to acknowledge them. Give ourselves permission to feel frustrated, disappointed, sad, and afraid. Now what? Is that an excuse to gain weight, forget about being fit and healthy, ignore your goals and ambitions? I don’t think so.
It’s OK to have negative emotions. What happens next?
Next comes taking ownership of our lives, our choices, and our decisions. We are not bystanders in our lives; we are decision-makers. Every action we take—or don’t take—is our choice, whether conscious or not. It’s time to focus on the journey and realize that we must only concern ourselves with taking action, irrespective of the outcome. It’s the process of doing and moving forward that truly defines our lives and gives us the drive to find good in every day. So often we chase success, and we forget why we started in the first place. Yes, it’s about making healthy lifestyle choices every day, even when stuck at home. It’s about preparing mentally and physically for this next chapter in our lives, a chapter that must find us healthy and strong. Especially mentally strong.
Let’s view this as an opportunity to accept change and grow
Press restart and pay attention to your thoughts, your feelings, your priorities, your dreams. It’s time to think about all that you can learn and all that you can do to overcome this, and march on with a winning stride. Yes, I truly believe that it is possible. In fact, I feel it is our obligation towards life to use this extra time-off to learn and grow. And decide to simply focus on daily actions. Stop caring about the outcome and focus on your actions. Stick to your healthy choices, even if nobody is watching. You are strong, you are able, and you can emerge on the other side a winner. Strategize about your career, your life, your well-being. Make the most of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to re-group. Re-evaluate all that you have taken for granted and set your priorities straight.
Make this a transformational experience
Let the pandemic and the self-isolation lead you to a new chapter in your life. A chapter of strength and the realization that, yes, you can handle whatever life throws at you. Accept events as they are happening, and focus on daily actions and progress so you can truly better your life. Do your best every day, and enjoy the process.
Don’t just stay fit, do more
Don’t just stay fit during this period. Be the best you can be. Read, learn, and improve your skills in any way that you can. When traveling is again an option, you can go to a welcoming, down-to-earth Fitness Camp in the Dominican Republic to share the experience with the people there and work on your fitness even more. Apart from the classic gym training, you will be able to try HIIT, calisthenics, and plyometrics, even kite-surfing and circus arts, if you want.
Healthy and delicious farm-to-table meals from their very own Taino farm make the experience even more exciting. Nothing fancy, no picture-perfect, Instagram-ready perfection. Just honest human connection. For now, don’t just stay healthy, become strong, and take full ownership of your life. Dive into the rhythm of life, with all its surprises and its challenges, and accept change. Practice non-attachment from the outcome and enjoy your life’s journey. Besides, one day soon enough, things will sort of return to ‘normal,’ and the opportunity to reflect and re-group will have passed.
