5 Things That Make Me Happy!

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What makes you happy?! How do you get the most out of your life!?

I made my list and these are 5 simple things that I am already doing that make me the most happy in my day-to-day living (and thankfully, I didn't have to do too much adjusting):

1. Get Outdoors

2. Spend Time with Gal Pals..and Guy Pals

3. Get Active

  • I like to mix this with being outdoors as often as possible. Whether it's hitting the slopes, taking to the trails for a hike, walking Charlie or hitting the links for a round of golf, I really enjoy being active. Being active is also another way to spend time with friends. We have an annual Ski Bunny Weekend that lets us get together, get caught up and get active all in one weekend. Getting more active is something I do need to adjust....I need to add more activity into my life. I'm going to be starting a new exercise class (that I can't wait to try) and I have been walking in the evenings with the goal of walking 5km per day as often as possible (with the end goal of jogging 5km at least 3 times per week by my birthday).

4. Try Something New

  • Whether it's a new restaurant, a new exercise class or a new recipe, I truly believe that being open to trying new things really does allow for ever evolving happiness. It's so easy to get stuck in a rut so when you find yourself feeling like that, why not grab a gal pal and try that new resto in town (like I did by heading to the Bread Bar in Guelph) or challenge yourself with a different workout. I appreciate that change can be difficult, but think of these things as new experiences, new adventures and you just never know what new activity, food, person etc you may fall in love with!

5. Always Have Fresh Flowers In Your Home

  • Something as simple as fresh flowers (whether it be the $10 grocery store bouquet or a $60 bunch from a local flower shop) always brings a smile to my face as I walk in the door after a days work or when I wake up to them in the morning. It's a simple and relatively inexpensive way (ie. $10/wk) to bring colour and cheer into your home.

These are all things that bring happiness to my life, but as we all know, sometimes life gets away from us and these things somehow get moved down on the priorities list (which in turn can have unhappy consequences). In order to ensure what makes you happy is ever present in your life, this is one of my favourite things to do to always keep reminding myself of this:

  • Put it in your calendar!! Yes, schedule those weekend plans with friends well in advance. This gives you something to look forward to and ensures it happens. The same goes for things like workouts/physical activity. It's so easy to come home at the end of the day, plop on the couch and call it a night. If I have something written in my calendar, it holds me accountable to it and I'm MUCH more likely to get my butt off the couch and go for that walk. 

I recommend making this list of 5 'things' (or 10 things) for all aspects of your life (ie. your career, your family, life in general etc) and see how these lists either flow together or compliment each other. Being happy doesn't have to take a lot of money or be difficult. It just takes time to let yourself realize what these 'things' are that get you to your happy place and sustaining them so you maintain that level of happiness you deserve!

RR

Let's Get Physical!

Let's get physical...and no, I don't mean '50 Shades of Grey' physical...I mean let's get up off the couch and get moving!

This time of year has to be the most difficult time to get motivated to exercise. The snow is flying outside, it's freezing cold and it's so easy to just cocoon indoors, curled up under blankets on the couch.

I'm the first to admit, I'm not nearly as active as I should be...or once was. I look back and I literally grew up in arenas and on the ice as I figure skated from the age of 3 all through university. I skated at least 3 days a week, some days 6 hours a day. I also coached, starting with volunteer coaching when I was 11 or 12 and moved into professional coaching around the age of 16, which carried me all through university. I've coached 2-3 year old to people in their 70's. That's what I love about skating...it's an activity that can span the ages.

I got back on the ice for the first time in a few years over the holidays....it felt so AMAZING to lace up my skates and hear the 'crunch' of the blade against the ice as it carves out the edges. My centre of gravity sure has changed over the years, but it doesn't take long to get back into the swing of things. I used to LOVE spinning...sit spin, cork screw spin, camel spin, layback etc...and after trying a few, I wonder how the heck I ever did them as I was sooooooo dizzy afterwards!

Skating is such great exercise! It's a full body activity that allows you to work on your aerobic capacity, flexibility and muscular strength. It's so dynamic and creative and I because of this, I think that's why I've never really taken to running on a treadmill or really any type of machine based cardio. If I'm going to get active, I tend to like to be doing something more dynamic, like going for a hike versus running indoors. Skiing, skating, hiking, roller blading, snow shoeing....now that's my kind of exercise! The great thing about these exercises is that they're not only dynamic, but they can also be done outdoors (and I just love being outdoors).

 

I believe that's the key about physical activity. You have to find what type of activity or exercise you enjoy and in doing so, you will be so much more successful in achieving your health and fitness goals. Also, if you can get active with a friend, even better! You can hold each other accountable and offer support and motivation on those days that the couch is looking better then lacing up your running shoes.

I'll be posting more about exercise and physical activity on the blog as I continue to grow and expand RR to incorporate a Body Life and Style into my brand and scope of services offered......

I also challenge you to get active this month! Take pictures of you and your friends/family getting active  by hiking, walking the dog, skating, hitting the gym etc etc and post them to Instagram and Twitter with the hashtag #RRBodyLifeStyle. Keep posting them until March 15th and the winner will win a personalized home exercise program, designed by me, based on your top 3 health and fitness goals ( a value of $75.00).

If you have health and  fitness questions or would like to get started in living a more active lifestyle, as a Registered Kinesiologist (and former Personal Trainer), I'd be happy to help! Just send me an email to rusticretrievals@gmail.com and we can get started!

Make a pledge to yourself to get off the couch and get active this weekend...and seeing as it's Family Day Weekend here in Ontario, why not get your entire family involved! And remember...share those pictures for your chance to win!

#RRBodyLifeStyle

RR