Ok, this is a variation on the “ you can do more than wear a mask, vaccinate and socially distance” lecture that I’ve bored you with several times before. We’re hopefully emerging from the waning days of COVID, barring any variant nonsense, and my question is, what can I ( & you) do to emerge as well & healthy as possible? So here is my short list of ways I plan on keeping myself as healthy, happy and, well, as Well as possible. 

1. Diet. 

– I know, I’ve preached about this one before. But diet has SO much to do with how you feel physically and emotionally. It affects your cardiovascular wellbeing, your energy level, your bodies ability to function at it’s peak, as well as it’s ability to resist all kinds of bugs, including the current crud we are dealing with on a pandemic level. Also, it’s easily the largest factor in weight control. Exercise is great, but you can’t exercise away a bad diet. And I don’t know about you, but being at a weight I’m happy with and fitting into clothes that make me feel like I’m the best version of me? That does wonders for my mood and feelings of self worth. 

2)  Activity

The gyms and yoga studios are opening back up! Yay! But what I’m noticing is that a lot of folks aren’t coming back to the gym. At least my gym. That’s the thing about not being able to go to the health club of your choice for a year or 14 months. You develop your own workout at home or outdoors, OR, you get out of the habit of activity. Now you’ve got to start again from ground zero, often with your COVID 10, 20 or 30 to deal with. And this is where you’ve got to embrace discomfort. 

Hit the restart button. 

Embrace making your activity a priority again. Schedule it. Chisel some time out of your day. Don’t worry about not being able to lift as heavy, or run as fast. Get the ball rolling again. Get back to your endorphin addiction. 

It’s going to take a deliberate choice.

Make it. 

3)  Come out!

This is more of a grey area, but I think it’s important. We have become so accustomed to staying in, staying masked, staying covered up. And there are a lot of different philosophies about what you should or should not be doing;

Mask / no mask

Stay home / go out

Indoor seating / outdoor seating

sex…

….Sorry, scratch that, the sex thing…

…but you get what I’m saying, right? 

People have become really used to not being social, or being virtual. I think virtual engagement has it’s place, but it’s not the same thing as seeing, hearing, laughing & touching in person. A generation which was already trending away from personal engagement has been hurled into the fast lane of impersonal communication.  I don’t know how long it’s going to be until we are totally comfortable packing into a bar, or a pool, or a stadium, but I know that at least I need that feeling of community. I think it’s an important part of wellness. 

4)  Understanding and Acceptance

Different people have different philosophies about different things.

Republican vs Democrat

Liberal vs Conservative 

Mask vs No mask

And maybe I’m being a “ back in my day” type old dude (you kids get off my lawn!) but I could swear that I remember a day when you could have a difference of opinion without it ending in profanity, vitriol or violence. One of the things I enjoy doing is watching CNN for 20 minutes and then switching to Fox news. They are talking about the same issues, but you have to listen carefully to realize it.

I voted , well, the way I voted (none of your beeswax!) but I don’t think that the approx. half of the voting nation who voted the other way are idiots, or devils or morons.I have family who voted the other way. They are still my family. I have friends who  feel differently about vaccination, masking & social distancing. I still hang with them, drink with them and love them.  I think that when it comes to people who have a different perspective than I do. I’ll talk AND listen ( that listening part can be difficult, but totally worth it) I’m not all on the left or all on the right. It depends on the issue. I don’t think it’s “Us” & “Them” I think we all have different education, experiences and upbringing which shape our worldview.

There’s a joke that starts; “ A Catholic, a Jew and a Muslim walked into a bar. They have a spirited discussion about God & religion. Then they finish their drinks, shake hands, hug and promise to see each other again soon….because none of them were ***holes. 

I think it’s funny.

And true.

I’ll end this little missive with this. One of my favorite poems is called Desiderata. It’s easy to find, and I would recommend it. I won’t paste the whole thing here, but it ends with these words 

“ Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.”

Damn skippy, Desiderata.

Damn skippy.

Talk Later,

Bob