Mental and physical wellness go hand-in-hand.
It may not look like it, but engaging in both practices is very similar and helps us to achieve meaningful personal goals that honor our mind and body. Because of that, it is important to work with someone who cares, who loves what they do, who are passionate, and who understands that the mind and body are connected.
When we go to our first work out session or therapy session, we may have lots of expectations, or not sure what to do or say. But unlike therapy, if you don’t know what you are doing with physical fitness we can hurt ourselves – both physically and emotionally by damaging our self-esteem. I have been there and done that. NO MORE! What matters is not how much you weigh or how flexible you are. What matters is that you are present as you exercise, that you understand your body, that you use the correct muscle groups, that you speak up when something doesn’t feel right, and that the trainer is able, knowledgable, cares about you, and listens to you.
In therapy it is the same. As we navigate through difficult feelings, we may feel uncomfortable, unsure, or doubtful. So, being open and acknowledging it helps me as your therapist to support you in this new journey. This is the same support I’ve be receiving from my trainers at Kaizen Fitness. When you experience the beauty of using your physical and emotional strengths, whether you’re covered in sweat at a fitness class or feeling a big burden was released from your shoulders during a therapy session, you will feel capable, strong, present, and happy. Just like you can feel exhausted and recharged at the same time after a good workout, you can be OK with being sad after moving on from a big challenge in your life during therapy.
During a physical workout there is warm up, the exercise, and the cool down. The cool down could be the most challenging. It challenges you to honor your hard work and stay present rather than thinking about what you are doing next. In therapy, the cool down is what you take with you outside of your session. During therapy sessions you learn to regain control of your feelings and discover how to honor yourself. These tools then need to be used outside of my office, so when there is a challenge you can acknowledge it and ask for help if you needed. In both therapy and exercise, you will be sore after the first few sessions, but then as you become stronger and more knowledgable with appropriate help and support, you can expand your goals after you’ve hit your first target. It’s important in both therapy and exercise to keep learning and growing.
Mental and physical health are intertwined.
Our bodies are everything, but if our minds aren’t feeling right, it affects our bodies. We have a tendency to separate the two and only focus on symptoms, not caring for ourselves in a holistic way that nurtures both the mind and body simultaneously. Both physical and emotional wellness are about honoring where you are now, promoting self-care, feeling capable, and asking for help when you need it. Strength doesn’t come from doing everything yourself, it comes from being able to rely on others who care for and support you, who can guide you to do things correctly and without judgment.
I’ve been working on improving my holistic self-care routine by building a support network of people who care about and motivate me. I’ve been to many different gyms, studios, and fitness classes and many fail to acknowledge the connection between mind and body. I’ve had trainers who yell at me to work harder, even though my body and mind feel like they can’t. At Kaizen Fitness, that strong link between my emotional health and physical health is honored. They are empathetic, take the time to listen to me, understand my mental limitations that may be preventing me from working physically harder, meet me where I am, and help me do better without judging me.
Feel strong in all areas of your life.
Our well-being is a combination of how in tune we are with our mind and body. If you want to honor your physical health, I know Kaizen Fitness can help you to feel stronger. And I don’t mean by lifting more weight, but by doing each exercise correctly or with “dignity.” The same goes for your emotional health. You deserve to feel strong and healthy in all aspects of your life. If you are looking for emotional support or need help addressing mental health issues, feel free to contact me to learn how I can help you achieve your goals.
