Client Story: "You're exercising and seeing a Coach each week, with all your health 'stuff'??"

My 83-year old client shared that line with me. This comes from a few different people she's interacted with who are in disbelief that with all my client has been through health wise, that she exercises and sees a Coach each week.

Not in a "good for you!" kind of way, but rather in a "shouldn't you be 'taking it easy'?" kind of way.

(How I must've looked when she shared this)

Thankfully my client is in a healthy prescence of mind to say "YEAH! Why WOULDN'T I? I want to feel better!" After she shared this brief, mind-numbing story with me, we discussed the scary reality of our current state of mind (and health) as a society.

The Waters are MUDDIED and OLD

Without question, we have MORE information on any given day, at any given time than most of us even need in our LIFETIME. AND YET - An 83 year old woman, who has been through health concerns, is asked "WHY" she's DOING SOMETHING for her health and wellbeing?? Think about that statement for a bit. Seriously!

This story speaks to why we NEED a desperate, DRASTIC overhaul on our MINDSET when it comes to our deep health. And why people like my client are INSPIRATIONAL.

We're stuck in OLD mindsets, OLD approaches to our health and lifestyle and OLD never-ending inner dialogues that are only good for ONE thing;

HOLDING US BACK!!!

My client, just over 1-year ago said to herself after several health scares: "Enough is enough! I WANT to feel better, I WANT to learn how to care for my health, I WANT to be focused on health rather than fear." At 82 years old, she made the concious decision to CREATE POSITIVE CHANGE and seek help, guidance and support in doing so.

According to some folks she's chatted with, they are apparently in disbelief that someone would do what she's doing each week after all the health happenings she's been through... in 2026 she's being asked this!?!?! Wow. Just wow. I'm still in shock. Granted, in their defense, my client is in the minority and especially among "wisdom years" folks.

Let's be REAL 👇

LIFESTYLE HABITS are a primary factor in our health THROUGHOUT our entire life. AT ANY AGE! Yes, sometimes it's shit luck. Yes, sometimes genetics play a role. However, the outstanding factor in our wellbeing is our LIFESTYLE and CHOICES, which are at play over a period of years and decades; Not active enough, not managing our chronic stress, not sleeping well, eating poorly for our health, working too much, poor social relationships... OR, vice versa (when we do these things in healthy ways that suit our needs/wants individually). The ONE thing that has the biggest impact on all aspects of health, that EVERYONE CAN do to HELP themselves, is to work at practicing healthy lifestyle habits.

This rings true before OR after a significant health event.

What scares me in my client sharing this, is that CLEARLY some of us still think that when something significant happens, we need to do NOTHING. 😳 Yet the EXACT OPPOSITE is TRUE.

At 83 years old, my client comes for coaching 2x per week with a friend(she'll go back to 1x weekly once winter is over and gardening season comes back).

• She does resistance training

• She works on balance

• She works on her gait

• She practices sitting and standing from a seated position

• She gets down on the floor

• She works on mobility

• She asks questions regarding her health and habits

• She has discussions surrounding mindset and mental chatter

• She has a support network (friend, husband, coach)

• She laughs, smiles and often acts less than half her age 🤣

Yep! With "all her health history" SHE is DOING that EVERY SINGLE WEEK. That's not counting additional activities such as her love for gardening when Mother Nature isn't sending so much winter our way.

Another REALITY CHECK 👇

What my client has CHOSEN to do (in seeking a Health & Wellness Coach and weekly support/guidance) IS 1000x healthier for her than doing NOTHING. Physical body aside, it's helping her mindset (which she often brings up to me how much it's helped). If after all she's been through, she chose to stay at home, sit in her chair most of the day and do NOTHING, here's where that will lead...

• LESS ability to remain independant with her husband in their beautiful home

• LESS able to help herself with every day tasks

• LITTLE to NO confidence in the ability to do little things like get up from the toilet, or get down on the floor

• MORE time to dwell on her ailments vs her abilities

• MORE time to "search for information" about her health struggles while taking little to NO action for herself

• LESS ability to enjoy the things she loves to do (eg: gardening).

  **When we lose the ABILITY to do things we love and/or have always done, no matter how big or small, this leads so many of us toward physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and social decline as we age. This is a MASSIVELY overlooked fact and argument to practice a healthy lifestyle!!

... The list goes on. What all these FACTS have in common is they all lead to POORER health in her future years in ALL ways (physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, socially...). And in knowing this woman for over a year, that would be an absolute shame because she's a firecracker!

We NEED to be celebrating people like this - NOT questioning them!

Not just celebrating, but using these types of amazing humans as INSPIRATION!! You see these stories out there;

• 100-year olds competing in 100m dash races

• 70-80 year olds running marathons

• 90 year olds still living on their own AND WELL

• People who have lost limbs and who do AMAZING things, BETTER than most of us can with all limbs intact

• People who BEAT things like cancer and who say "I'm going to continue to learn, grow and BE my most resilient self"

The MAJORITY of us are NOT doing what is required for lifespan or healthspan. The basics. The foundational practices each day to feel our best inside and out. The MINORITY of people ARE. THESE people listed above (like my client), are the ones we should be looking towards for inspiration, rather than suggesting their past health concerns/experiences should be a reason to do NOTHING. THEY are in the minority who ARE putting their DEEP HEALTH as a priority; to learn, grow and create resilience and independance.

Having SOMETHING you do, that you enjoy, that makes you feel good AT ANY chapter of life gives us something to LOOK FORWARD TO. It ADDS to our days/weeks. It keeps you coming back for more because you FEEL the healthful benefits when you do your chosen activity/activities. It LIFTS you up, rather than sends you DEEPER into the "blahs" (or worse). AT ANY AGE, this is CRUCIAL for our deep health!!

Don't question these people.

DON'T question ANYONE who's doing something for their health and wellbeing for that matter!!

USE their inspiration.