How can I spread wellness? I think of this as I sit here, after one hour of my daily exercise as prescribed. I feel great as self-generated opioids wash over me. The mind brims with possibilities. Later in the day I will, as research has shown, do my dishes earlier, make my bed more often, be more productive, get better sleep, and so on. My muscles feel warm and strong, my appetite is hearty but satisfied. If a discrete activity such as exercise can bring me joy and other advantages, maybe I can help bring that kind of thing to others.
Wellness is a broad state. Many things contribute to it. Just consider my workout today:
– Well-marked five foot wide bike lanes got me to the Cedar Lake Trail with its beautiful and open views of downtown.
– The excellent air quality in Minneapolis leaves me with no fear of being outside at midday.
– A supportive culture of outdoor activity prevails here in Minneapolis. Even though it was gray out there were lots of people on bikes, jogging and walking. There were men in Spandex from head to toe and bronzed goddesses running with sporty ponytails and Kegels like a vise, no doubt.
– I had my iPod shuffle to reduce the monotony (not while biking of course). This little device was practically made for workouts.
– I have excellent trail running shoes available for cheap. They are perfect for the former train tracks that were converted into unpaved trails in that area.
– I have a book: a Dorling Kindersley strength training book with lush illustrations and effective and safe directions, available at my sunny downtown library with its excellent county-wide request system and its interesting assortment of slumbering homeless people.
– I have dumbbells from a sporting goods store, courtesy of a gift certificate from my parents for Christmas.
– I have fresh fruits and veggies I bought at Rainbow for cheap, along with boneless skinless chicken breasts for a dollar a pound.
– I have the benefits of nutritional knowledge from school and other resources. And more important, eating habits ingrained from childhood.
All these things have benefited me. So how do I contribute? How do I spread wellness? How do I infect others with a love of the outdoors, or a taste for veggie sandwiches, or a fondness for trail running? The best way to start is to set a good example. Then to invite friends and family to exercise with me and share healthy meals. Then to support and validate people in everyday interactions. And finally to advocate for bike trails, education, a healthy food system, and all the other things that have helped me be healthy thanks to the efforts of so many people before me.
pseudoisaac 