How to Play More, Stress Less Benefits to Keeping the Whole Family Active
Pictures—Please include 2-3 pictures that are focused on:
- Photos throughout blog that focus on active families (low impact activities – walking, dancing in the kitchen, playing outside, dog walks, etc.)
See inspiration and/or use photos from Canva below
How to Play More, Stress Less: The Benefits of Keeping the Whole Family Moving
Raising Happy, Healthy Kids: Loving Your Body With Movement and Play
Mind, Body, Play: Focusing on a Healthier Family
In college I was a Division 1 soccer player, living and breathing the sport. From the age of six, I dedicated all my energy to mastering the game. My days were a whirlwind of sprints, drills, and games; the competitive rush was an escape, filling my entire life.
I was physically fit but the rigorous routine was super tough on my body. Injuries started piling up—countless visits to chiropractors, ER trips for concussions, and ice baths to rehab sprains and bruises were common occurrences in my life.
I bring this up to say that this isn’t the type of movement I’m talking about for you and your family. So often we think that exercising has to be hard and heavy to be effective.
I’ve come to understand that during that time, even though I was exercising, I wasn’t truly taking care of myself. The truth is, I didn’t honor my body for the amazing gift that it is. Think about it: without our bodies, we don’t get to experience anything in this life… and we only get one for our entire time here. It works hard for us each and every day and deserves to be supported with activities geared towards longevity and maximizing our experience here on earth.
So here’s the thing—adding physical activities into your daily routine doesn’t mean marathon training sessions and agonizingly pushing yourself to the limit. It’s about learning how to build a loving connection with your body. It’s about elevating your mental, physical, and emotional well-being, allowing you to live an extraordinary life. And it’s about leading by example so that your children learn how to love, honor, and respect their own bodies.
What We Face With Well-being in Today’s World
Real talk: There’s never been a more crucial time than right now to guide your children to learn the skills to love, honor, and respect their bodies. Today’s world doesn’t make it easy with skyrocketing obesity rates, eating disorders, and an onslaught of media influencing our kids’ views on their looks and fueling serious mental health issues.
After my soccer career ended, it took me years to learn how to truly love and nurture myself and respect and honor my body with nutrition and movement that was geared towards fueling my well-being and not just to be a sports machine. When I had children, I wanted to teach them from the very beginning how to support their body so they would be in control of their well-being and not struggle with outside influences. That’s why I designed daily activity as a foundation of the Happy Life System.
It’s important to think about movement and exercise not just in terms of hitting health goals. It’s about creating a relationship with yourself that is impenetrable to outside influences by bringing joy and connection with the body into your family’s daily routine.
And by making physical activities a regular part of your day, you’re not just creating healthy habits—you’re investing in a lifestyle that uplifts your whole family.
The Happy Life System is all about showing families how to live the happy life you’re dreaming of by making positive choices for yourself and your family. Let’s take a deeper dive into the Body Pillar of the system.
Sweat It Out Without Burning Out: The Happy Life System’s Body Pillar
The Happy Life System’s Body Pillar encourages you to really think about this question: “How well do I care for my body?”
Taking care of your body means more than just avoiding the bad stuff. It’s about embracing the good.
When you view movement from this perspective, then it becomes a self-care ritual that taps into your body’s full potential. And when you make it fun, it becomes more than a routine; it becomes a habit you look forward to every day.
Remember, we only have one body to carry us through life.
Here are some ways you can make movement a regular, fun part of the daily routine for your family:
- Small Goals That Motivate Movement
- Incorporate simple, enjoyable activities like neighborhood walks, backyard wiffleball, or family yoga to shake up stagnant energy and bring fresh oxygen into your lives.
- Incorporate Simple Daily Exercise Moments
- Even small amounts of physical activity can bring you huge benefits. Encourage your family to add movement into your daily routines in fun and enjoyable ways. Try gentle, playful exercises to boost health and family bonding:
- Dance to a child-curated playlist during a family dance party.
- Set up and run obstacle courses together.
- Use a “family fitness jar” filled with quick physical activities written by each member; pick one to focus on for 5 minutes each day.
- __Build a Routine Together __
- Create a routine that fits everyone’s schedule and preferences.
- If you’ve got a busy family like mine, that might mean a longer 30-minute activity like walking on the beach once a week.
- Focus on 5-10 minute activities together every day.
By nurturing these habits, you’ll not only enhance your family’s health but also enjoy the journey together, creating lasting memories and a strong, healthy foundation for the future.
My Family’s Simple Hack for the Best 5-Minute Movement Break
For my family, we love our rebounder trampoline. It’s an amazing way to stimulate the lymphatic system and shake off stagnant energy. It’s our go-to for a rapid-fire, 5-minute energy boost that leaves us all recharged.
And it can be that simple!
Adding time for movement to your family’s routine doesn’t have to be complicated. Remember to come back to the why of it all—that you have the power to make choices that take care of your body. Five minutes has the power to make a big difference in everyone’s mood and energy levels.
Every Little Step Counts: Celebrate It
Remember, every step forward, no matter how small, deserves a high five. It’s about creating those joyful moments that bond your family together and bring abundance to your everyday life.
Keep it light, have fun with it, and choose happiness every day—I’m telling you, it makes all the difference.
Discover more about Happy Parenting in my self-paced Crack the Parenting Code online course.