Most of us first encounter the concept of being “physically fit” while we’re in elementary school gym class. I personally remember being told again and again that my physical fitness would impact all areas of my life—at that time and later in my life.
I guess that message sunk in because I was always motivated to push myself in those areas. I wanted to feel strong or grow more flexible. I would practice my splits for gymnastics while watching TV or do sit-ups daily, wanting to feel strong in my abs. I ran track, played tennis, danced. I was naturally active and, having these basic skills and innate motivation, I was really able to understand and connect to my body.
As children, we begin to form habits and I think that’s when our relationship to our bodies really develops. I was fortunate enough to have a positive perspective on mine. And yet, as I grew up and focused more on academics, I became more stationary. That happens to a lot of us. All that healthy, natural movement took a back seat for a while.
The good news is that your body always remembers—and it’s never too late to start focusing on that physical health and body connection. For me, as I was slowly drawn back into this concept of being physical as an adult, my relationship to it all was different than before. Now, it wasn’t just about being active; it was about what I put in my body and my way of thinking too, from nutrition and herbs to mind-focused exercise and strengthening with yoga and Pilates.
I used to be able to get lost in the activity and maybe that was part of the goal sometimes, but now I am in tune with how things make me feel. I am body conscious in a way that’s intentional and important because it eliminates a potentially hazardous mind-body disconnect. Now, I know my body well.
This month, at Live The Process, we’re focusing on the concept of being physically fit on a deeper level, talking to experts in the field—from ballet dancers to clean beauty innovators—who have found real connection to their bodies in different ways. Being physically fit, for me, is not about being a certain size or achieving some unrealistic (and inauthentic) beauty ideal. Everyone is different. It’s about each of us developing our own constructive and healthy relationship to our own particular body, so we can feel our best on every level—and feel like our most powerful selves.
Your body is a machine made up of energy and , if you give it what it needs to be effective and then move it and experience it and be in tune with it, then you can receive real joy from it. In the end, everything we do with or put into our bodies to make them physically fit contributes to helping us create the overall balance we seek.
Stay safe and strong!
xo - Robyn