Personal growth and personal health are essential, so let’s weave them together for maximum impact!

I hope you get inspired by this list of 5 Ways to Grow through fitness.

Pick a challenge in these aspects of everyday life and go for it.

1. Outdoors. Is there a hike in your area that’s always appealed to you but intimidated you at the same time? Do you want to reach a new “personal best” at an outdoor activity you already enjoy, like running or golf? Exercising outdoors brings added psychological benefits.🥾 ⛷️ 🏃🏽‍♂️

a. Then set that as a goal you want to achieve and plan your training accordingly. You’ll need a program that gets you better at the activity combined with a program that corrects the wear and tear from the activity.

2. At the gym. Set a goal for attendance – a number of weekly visits that will take a little more effort than might be comfortable. For instance, if you’ve been going twice a week, then try to make it three times a week. Or, you venture into a program that completely challenges your body, mind, and spirit to bring everything back into as balanced as possible.🙋🏽

3. Cooking. Can you complete your weekly shopping without buying anything that comes in a box? Whole foods, produce, and healthy proteins line the perimeter of most grocery stores. So, it’s easy to avoid all the over-processed junk if you stay away from the aisles of boxes, cans, and bags with long lists of ingredients you can’t pronounce.

4. Stress management. If you’re already meditating or praying regularly, take deliberate steps to go deeper in your practice – like reading a book by a mindfulness or spiritual leader you respect. If you’re not, start now and start small. Just a couple of minutes in the morning can make all the difference in helping you stay focused and grateful all day.

5. Play more. Let the spirit of change take you back to childhood when you had summer vacations from school. You rode your bike, played ball with friends, and threw frisbees in the park. And now you can GROW FORWARD by repeating these little steps from the past. Smile, laugh, and have a good time! It’s good for you.

a. And then, after each session, thank your body for accomplishing these activities by taking a little time to use exercises and stretches that rebalance it so that you can do more play!

Tap into the change and refocus now that summer is gone. It truly is the season for growth, so don’t miss out.

P.S. Check out my son and me. This little 6-year-old little man did a 3-mile hike on the Bright Angle trial in Grand Canyon. The beginning of this trail is a 1000-foot descent and ascent. We all naturally desire growth, and when we are young, we don’t think twice.

It’s still there now that you are older, but you gotta choose growth.