Last week, while my husband was away on a business trip, my son's birthday present arrived: a rather large basketball hoop that needed to be assembled.
The basket arrived a couple of weeks late, and my son, who was very eager to use it, asked me to put it together.
I really didn't feel like it. Even though I'm quite handy, I felt like this project was going to be too much for me. The basket is big and heavy, and there were several bags of screws and nuts of different sizes.
My initial idea was to wait until my husband arrived and for us to do it together. I was a little scared to do it alone, but I still told my son that yes, we would try.
After three days of working with my 9-year-old son, many breaks, and quite a bit of help from the neighbors, my son was happy playing basketball.
I'm telling you this because for me it has been a proud moment as a person and as a mother.
Building this basketball hoop has been a source of personal pride because, although I didn't think I could manage it, and it took me longer than it should have, I did it. It's also because I was able to identify when I needed help and ask for it. But above all, it's because I know that years ago, before I understood my body and how to take care of it, I wouldn't have been able to start this project.
Furthermore, building the basket has been a source of pride for me as a mother because I have taught my children—through example and without having to lecture—that with hard work and perseverance we can do things we didn't think we were capable of before, that we can do things without waiting for others to do them for us, and also, that asking for help when we need it is nothing to be ashamed of.
It might seem like this has nothing to do with healthy living, but I believe it's actually part of overall health. When a person feels good, they have more energy, and at least in my experience, more courage to do things they wouldn't otherwise feel capable of.
I already set an example for my children by eating healthily - you can see more in this post about children's nutrition - and moving my body every day - now they also know that one of the many benefits of taking care of yourself is being able to do the things you want to do.
Have you noticed more energy or courage since you started living a healthier life?