Wellness: A Retirement Fund You Can Bank On

A couple of years ago, an entire issue of Money magazine was dedicated to the topic of health and wellness. In his preface to the edition, the editor stated apologetically that, although at first blush, it seemed strange for a magazine ordinarily devoted to issues of wealth to concentrate on health and wellness, the accumulation of wealth is worthless without the health to enjoy it. When retirees were interviewed as to the regrets about mistakes made when planning for their retirement, the most common belief was that they should have made a more significant investment in their health earlier in their lives. I see many people who have worked their entire lives only to discover that they are ineligible to fully enjoy the fruits of their labor because they did not invest early enough in their health. When you think of it, the initial costs of these investments are relatively low and the return is immensely high. Right now is the best time to start listening to those retiree s regrets. By not investing early enough in your health, you could find yourself tarnishing your golden years. As with all investments, timing, quality and quantity are critical. Making wise choices now are the keys to the success of your wellness future. Those who have planned well for their health, not only live longer, but live better. They tend to enjoy their financial prosperity more. Overall, even those less financially successful seem to have a much richer life if they have made solid health investments early on.

What makes a truly good investment? One thing we know of investments in health is that relatively small deposits compound over time and yield tremendous results. A 10 minute walk every day from now on, could buy you the ability to trek across the spring tundra of Alaska on your 80th birthday. Small, wise, health investments made over time will yield truly miraculous results. The good news is that health investments are easy to identify. Good deals are out there, and we know what they are: quit smoking, lose weight, eat healthy and become more physically active. Our biggest mistake is thinking we can start tomorrow. Every day that passes without making a health investment is a lost opportunity to increase our wellness portfolio. There are 365 days in a year and it is amazing how quickly they pass. What were your health goals, one year ago? How many have you met? The absolute truth is that the time to invest in your health is now. As with any investment strategy, it is best to start small. Begin by picking one thing that you can do to improve your health. Even the smallest investment has the potential for tremendous return. Walking 10 minutes a day, every day, no excuses - can and will make a huge difference in your life. Don't believe me? Prove me wrong. Walk 10 minutes a day, every day, for one month and see what happens. When started I my evening walks, it did not take long for the walks to become easier and more enjoyable. Although I have to admit, some walks have been better than others, I am convinced that I am always the better for it. The improved strength and increased energy I derive from walking are simply dividends being paid to me now on my long-term health investments. The big payoff will come when I am older provided I continue to invest. Walking is just one example. It is easy to do and does not require any special equipment. In short, it is difficult to find a valid excuse not to walk. Are you having trouble getting started? Do you need a plan? Luckily, help is out there. The financial planners of the health and wellness world are called coaches. Coaches are specially trained professionals that help you to understand the process of change and can show you how to get started. They help you to set realistic goals and help you realize your long term potential. The best coaches have had personal experience fighting and winning the same battles you are facing. They have been where you are now and they understand. Although it is NEVER too late to begin your wellness portfolio the earlier the better. How about today? Consider reaching out for guidance from a skilled professional that can bring you from where you are to where you want to be. It is possible, it has been done by others, and you are not alone.

Action Giving - An exercise in kindness: improving the world one step at a time.

Whether you are losing weight or have reached your goal, it is important to keep your body moving. The good news is that almost any kind of movement will do as long as you do it and keep doing it. In order to be effective, however, staying active needs to be a long-term commitment that does not end when you have lost all the weight you want to lose.

According to the National Weight Loss Registry, engaging in a consistent activity program is a key element in the maintenance of any weight loss success. Did I say long-term commitment? I meant life-long commitment. Yes, that means that movement needs to become part of your life. That may sound like some kind of prison sentence but if you do something you really enjoy doing it’s not that difficult.

If any of you have a bad case of insomnia one morning around 4am and happen to be strolling along a beach on the North Fork of Long Island, you might catch a glimpse of me blissfully gliding along the surface of the bay in a kayak. I enjoy it so much; I can't even call it exercise. Make no mistake, though, I do manage to elevate my heart rate. I actually paddle hard enough to exceed the speed of an average 30 foot sailboat under full sail. I know this because I have confused many a sailor as I quietly whipped by them. The cardiovascular benefits of paddling are undeniable, the scenery is impossible to beat and the core muscle training is awesome. By the end of the summer I cannot even fit into my shirts because my chest has become so developed. The core strength and flexibility the sport provides me improves every aspect of my physical abilities, especially my balance.

When I kayak I have some unbelievable workout partners, ducks, geese, osprey and loons. There is no better way to “work out” then to do something you love to do. My “gym” is a million miles long and a million miles across, and I will never get to see the whole thing; that’s pretty amazing. The peace and euphoria that this routine brings me sets the tone for my entire day and can last for a week.

Yup, I sure do love to kayak. The problem is that even when you love to do something, the motivation to keep going can still evaporate. Next thing you know, a month or a year goes by and you’re no longer doing anything. The secret to holding on to your motivation is to maintain a deep connection to all that is good about what you are doing. Still, holding on can be difficult.

It was a cold, rainy and windy start to the kayaking season and I don't mind telling you that I was losing my kayaking MoJo (Motivational Joy -- not to be confused with the Cuban Spice also known as MoJo.) I remember too many mornings at the beginning of the season where I just stood on the beach, cold and wet, only to turn around and go home. I did nothing to really move my body on those days and I really felt lousy because of it. It was a bad habit in the making.

One of the main lessons that the challenges in my life have taught me is that every human being has the potential to be better. Certainly, losing over 200 pounds was a challenge but keeping it off- is takin’ some work too! Throughout my weight loss journey I began to see this process of success develop. I began to recognize that the path to the life I really wanted could only be walked one step at a time. I learned that all I had to do was to develop one good habit at a time and stick with it. After a while that good habit became easy and it was time to make a better habit. I discovered that all I needed to do in order to stay on this path of improvement was to just keep collecting these small, positive changes. After a while, I developed a system that allowed me to focus on the changes that best suited me.

I call this system Betterness ®. Simply put; Betterness ® is defined as the process of radical life improvement through the accumulation of small but consistently performed positive changes. Although there is way more to the actual system than that, the key here is that you need to keep doing what you are doing. In the case of my daily kayaking “habit” all I had to do was keep on doing it. Unfortunately, sometimes Betterness just that ain’t that easy.

I define “Action Giving” as the act of giving by doing something physical. This kind of charity is not only good for you but it gives you the opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of others. It is an awesome way to stay motivated to keep your body moving. Yes, even I, with my professed love for kayaking can use a motivational boost.

My MoJo was rescued back in 2007 by the Paddle for Humanity. The paddle for humanity is an 18 mile open ocean charity paddle from Montauk, NY to Block Island, RI. It is held every year in early September.  Who would have believed that the same 400 pound man struggling to stay on an exercise bike for 5 minutes would cross almost 20 miles of Open Ocean in a 15 foot kayak? Believe it! I did it for three years and this year I am going out on my own to do a charity kayak of almost 300 miles around Long Island!

How did this give my MoJo back? All I needed to do to get my MoJo going was to think about all the people whose lives might change if I could keep paddling. I knew the only way for me to endure the grueling 18 miles to Block was to get my butt into that boat and paddle - every day. Since getting started is always the hardest part, all I needed was a little shot of MoJo and soon I was blissfully ripping along like always. As I continued to train, I stayed motivated by getting sponsors. I knew that people were depending on ME and I was not going to let them down. I knew that when I finally left the safety of Montauk, I would not be alone. I would have all of the collective energy of my sponsors and their beneficiaries behind me. As I paddled, I couldn’t help thinking about the real people whose lives will be made better by the causes we were supporting. I am truly grateful that I am able to make a difference in the world, contribute to my own wellbeing and do something I love to do in the process. This kind of giving is a great way to stay motivated on the sometimes difficult road of Betterness.

As it turns out, often a little motivation is all we really need. If you don’t think action giving is powerfully motivating, it is only because you have not yet experienced it. Yes, you too can be an “action giver” and don't have to risk shark attacks, muscle cramps, being lost at sea or even getting wet. OK, so I’m being dramatic. When I do these crazy paddles, they are actually extremely well organized and safe there is no chance of being lost at sea, the sharks out there are well fed enough to leave us paddlers alone and my training keeps the muscle cramps away. I am quite sure, however, that staying dry is not an option. So, if getting wet is not your thing, there are many good causes that will get you moving.

Perhaps the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life is the most familiar to you. Did you also know that the Obesity Action Coalition and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery jointly organize the walk from obesity? (http://www.walkfromobesity.com/)The proceeds from this event support obesity research and obesity advocacy. If you are overweight, as I was, and ever felt isolated, alone and misunderstood, this is a great cause for you to support! The march of dimes also comes to mind. These events are held all over the country at various times which gives you plenty of opportunities to get involved. I encourage you to find your own way of Action Giving.

When you do sign up, treat the event as true commitment to yourself as well as the beneficiaries of the event itself. Think of your participation as a reason for you to do better, fell better and BE better. Set your mind to the belief that the more you train, the more you AND the world will benefit. Honestly, you can change the world with just one positive thought provided it is followed by an action. So be active! Don’t just show up on the day of the event and expect to simply stroll around. When you get there, seek to be an example to everyone else. Since you have trained, you will not only feel better, you will look better as well. You will exude an enthusiasm that will be infectious. The way you look feel and act will attract attention. People will want to know about your new Betterness and you will inspire them. Who knows, your Betterness might even cause someone at the event to hop on the road to Betterness with you. If they did, it would certainly make their life better and it could even lead to a longer, more productive life for them. Think about this: If you can make other people better simply by being better yourself, Betterness is not a gift you give only to yourself; it is your gift to the world.