Shake it

People who are the healthiest, happiest and most energetic seem to also be the people who have the most fun with their health routine/regiment/activity/lifestyle. I think there's a huge misconception that being healthy means denying yourself or avoiding all that makes you happy or tastes good. Or that health means all work and no play. But that is the unhealthiest view of health I can imagine. I think being content and enjoying life are the healthiest things people can do for themselves and others, and I also think that a healthy lifestyle is essential for contentment.

Certainly making healthier choices and maintaining a healthy lifestyle requires discipline and deliberate decisions and work. But people who take the time to seek that out and make those changes enjoyable not only stick with them and improve their health but also say their overall quality of life improve by leaps and bounds. Exercise becomes a release, or cooking delicious homemade meals becomes play.

That's what appealed to me about this story I wrote about bellydancing. The women I interviewed were incredibly passionate about the difference dance has made for them on many levels of health: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. I was pretty impressed by their enthusiasm. The bottom line was, they were having a blast doing it. A few said they were hooked after just one class. Belly dancing isn't for everyone, and neither is running or basketball or tennis or skiing. But it seems finding something that's fun and rewarding for you means the cycle of your good health and happiness continues to spiral upward.