As I get older, a very important priority for me is to be as healthy as I can for as long as I can. Over the past few years, I faced prolonged health problems and had issues with my new doctors. These health concerns affected every aspect of my life, from the personal to the physical to the emotional.

I was extremely motivated to get into a routine that would return me to a healthy state. After getting a medical clearance from my doctors, I decided to go back to the gym. I met with a personal trainer and told him about my medical issues. We came up with a reasonable program that would put me on the path to fitness, a goal that would boost both my physical and emotional health.

To keep the body in good health is a duty… otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.    ~Buddha

I decided to go to the gym on Monday and Wednesday mornings. My trainer put me on a program to do stretching exercises before working on ten pieces of exercise equipment. For my cardiovascular health, my trainer suggested I use a special kind of bicycle that would not put too much strain on my joints.

I continued this program, twice per week, and increased the intensity of the exercises on a gradual basis, depending on how I was feeling. As an added bonus, this health club had a hot tub, which was very relaxing after my exercise sessions and a great way to reward myself for my hard work!

I’m pleased to say that I’ve continued this program for ten months! Along with my exercise routine, I’ve been more mindful of my eating habits. My diet is not perfect, but better than it was before, and I will continue to explore more healthful food choices.

I’m feeling much better! After a long hiatus, in November 2018, I started to write on my highly sensitive person blog again. Two months before that, I worked with Amy McNeil, my web designer, to update my website.

In summary, it was a priority for me to be healthy. I needed a specific plan for me to accomplish this. These steps included:

• I got a medical clearance to go to the gym.
• I enlisted the help of a personal trainer.
• I created a specific schedule for going to the gym, and I stuck with it.
• I made more healthful food choices.

The reasons why I’m going to continue this program are:

• I generally feel better.
• My focus and concentration have improved.
• I’m moving easier. I feel more in control of my arthritic issues.
• My blood pressure and sugar levels are better controlled.

I have made commitments to myself to stay on track. I have also enlisted others to help hold me accountable and motivate me to continue this program. They include:

• My doctors and the blood tests that they prescribe. I will use this information to determine what actions to take.
• I will continue to go for age-appropriate and heredity-related diagnostic tests to help prevent and detect medical issues. I will also go for regular dental exams that are important for good health.
• My body will tell me when I get off track, and I will pay attention to those signals. I know that my high sensitivity can guide me in the right direction!
• My wife will remind me when I eat the wrong things. She also cooks nutritious meals. I will seek help if I need further dietary management.

The main ingredients to successfully accomplishing your priorities are (1) a strong desire to do something, (2) a specific plan, (3) accountability, and (4) compelling reasons to continue to move forward. As you work towards meeting your goal, it’s important to set realistic expectations, reward yourself for making progress, make adjustments when needed, and to not allow setbacks to derail you.

What is a priority for you? What steps can you take now to get started? I’m interested in any thoughts or comments that you have.

My next regular blog post on Wednesday, January 16th, will address another priority that I have. It’s about dealing with worry.