Ruts, Rust, and Rest | Health … For Your Life

Photo: Christian Erfurt

Funny how playing with letters in words can change meaning and make such a difference. 

After COVID, what are things you can do differently to get out of a rut in your life? Will you stay online, go back to an office, go back to a gym? We all get in ruts with health and wellness. Take time to rearrange and mix up the ‘letters’ in your life to get out of any current rut.

Here’s a few weekly tips to help you out of a rut:

• Set a goal to try at least 3 new recipes.

• Try at least 3 new workouts.

• Listen to 10 new songs.

These changes can be fun while helping rewire neurons in your brain to help you be more adaptable.

You can control whether you rust or not, and that is where humans have more power than objects. When abandoned, uncared for, or left in bad shape, things rust. People can be like rust. If you don’t take care of yourself, your arteries can clog, your skills can deteriorate, and you can fall into bad shape. It is important to take time to be active, eat well, and stay happy to stave off “rust.” Be strong, prevent rust, and keep moving to avoid “rust” from forming in your body.

Remember, rest is a key element to balance in your life. Consciously find time to rest, however you see fit… but not too much. Rest is a time to rebuild, refresh, and recover from all your hard work preventing rust and getting out of ruts.

Balance some hobbies, rekindle relationships, or take time to be thankful. We may have found ways in the last year to be smarter, more efficient, more authentic, and more balanced. Keep the forward hustle while still looking back to know what you have gained from the past year.

Hop out of those ruts to prevent rust, but get rest when you are done. Most importantly, don’t be afraid to make changes to “letters” in your life to create new words with new meanings.

Gary Gianetti has an M.S. in Allied Health and holds certifications in health, fitness, and exercise sciences. When he’s not coaching, he enjoys outdoor adventures on foot, rock, wheels, and in the air with his little ones and his wife. He is the founder of Healthy Altitudes…For Your Life™.