Society and social media likes to feed us a plethora of ideas as to what they want us to be. One such area is the concept of “being healthy.” Online we see these buff guys and skinny girls and we’re told, “This is what healthy means.” To be frank, these images are quite unrealistic; not everyone will be able to achieve those images. What society tells us is “healthy” is often overexaggerated and incomplete.
Exercising is a key part of our health. However, a certain body type should not be your end goal. Our bodies are all different and respond differently to exercise; the “end goals” society elevates may be unattainable for some people. Rather, we should focus on what our body needs to function efficiently. Most don’t even need a gym membership to exercise: taking a walk or jog or biking around your neighborhood is already sufficient. Working out at home is also an option, especially during the circumstances due to COVID-19. There are tons of YouTube videos out there, ranging from cardio to yoga. Take advantage of the information of the digital age!
Like I mentioned, exercising is a key part of our health. But what about our mental and emotional health? Although our mental and emotional health is just as important, if not more important, than our physical health, no one really stresses it and therefore is overlooked. Keeping your mind healthy is an essential life skill that keeps your mind in check and helps you deal with life’s challenges. One extremely crucial part of a healthy mind is stress management. I will bet that most of us have been upset or have cried over a stressful situation, whether that be from school or something happening at home. However, we will be pelted with many more challenges of the same or even greater magnitude down the line; if we can’t even deal with this, how can we function later in life? Learning how to manage your stress healthily and how to keep your stress levels at a minimum is vital to your emotional health.
The bottom line is that your definition of healthy doesn’t have to be the same as the next person’s or society’s; any definition is fine as long as what you’re doing helps you feel well both mentally and physically. Your health is very important and it’s your mind and body after all; you’re living in it for the rest of your life, so you might as well take good care of it!