It Doesn't Matter
Whatever you like to do or make, it doesn't matter if you can't do it.
It took me a long time to come to terms with that statement. I spent a lot of my childhood and adolescence not taking care of myself. This took form in eating like crap, not sleeping, and not moving my body that way it needed to be moved. This mixed with not the greatest genetics created a lot of challenges early on. Now, I could look at things like my genetics and take the helpless stance since I cannot control it. I can look at my life situations and blame my lack of health on everything around me, but at the end of the day none of that matters as I am still in the body I am in, for better or for worse.
I am going to be real with you, I haven't been the best mentally lately, just due to being busy. I let that affect my work, as I haven't posted a blog in a few weeks. That's on me. So this blog is a reminder to take care of yourself. I am going to try my best to not get into the cliches, but no promises.
Health
Health is more than what you eat or how much exercise you get. It is more than your mental health. I have learned the hard way that health is a lifestyle you have to commit to for your entire lifetime (if you want to be in good health anyway). It is a mindset, a different way to think not only about yourself, about the world around you. Health doesn't have a deadline. It isn't a diet that lasts a month and you are all good now. It isn't a workout routine that you will stick to for a year and then drop. Health is a commitment to yourself.
Now I am no expert. I am not going to get into the weeds on what to do and how to do it. Rather, I would like to give you something to think about, to hopefully spark that health mindset, or give it more juice if you are on that journey.
THE SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT: Health is a non-negotiable.
Let's explore that for a minute. Can you take a picture without a lens? Can you paint a picture without paint? Can you write your next great piece without a pen or pencil? Now the correct answer to all of these isn't no. Of course you can find a way to create without something, but it sure is a hell of a lot harder. Health is similar. Can you get by without taking care of yourself? Sure, but it is going to suck, and your probably won't make it as long as others. However, if you tell yourself that your health is a non-negotiable, something you are NOT willing to compromise on, you are investing in the most important aspect of your art: yourself.
What Does This Look Like?
So if you make health a non-negotiable, what does that look like for you? It means instead of pushing your health off because something came up, you realize that it isn't as important as that investment in yourself. It means getting your ass up and about after work to go get a quick 30 minute workout. It means that if you aren't feeling the best, you take a walk instead. It means knowing you have the easy option to eat junk food, but you make something at home that is at least a little bit better. It means instead of crashing after a long day, you take five minutes for yourself to write down three things you are grateful for. I could go on. This is a lifestyle, not a chore. When you finally make that distinction, and see that taking care of yourself is a privilege, it will change everything.
It's A Privilege
I had an injury take me out about a year ago. I found out I had a bad disc in my spine that made it difficult to walk, and even stand. Everything was uncomfortable. This injury resulted in 3 months of physical therapy. It was a challenge, and it made me appreciate the moments where I wasn't in pain. This injury affected my work, my photography, as I had to cancel sessions because I wasn't able to walk, it affected my life all around. During those moments I wish I didn't take the time before for granted, and now, when I feel like not doing something, I remember that time when I wasn't able to, when the choice was taken from me.
My point with this is this: Being able to take care of yourself is a privilege, so do it while you can.
Others aren't so lucky, we all know there is someone out there that has it worse. On top of that, father time beats on each of our doors at some point. If we take care of ourselves now, we give ourselves a chance to take care of ourselves in the future. So when you don't feel like getting up, or that cheeseburger looks really good after a doctor told you to cut down on the calories, stop thinking about what you are missing out on now and focus on what you will be gaining in the future: not the lower weight on the scale, or the 6-pack abs, but a chance to live a fuller life for longer.
Creative Work
So let's bring this home. I have been rambling on about health sounding like a wannabe trainer, why the hell does this matter for creatives? I would argue this blog is a wakeup call, because I don't know about you, but I can get lost in my creative work where I would say nothing else matters. I am not saying everyone does this, and I do not mean to generalize, but it seems like many creative people, including myself, get so invested in what we are making where we sacrifice a lot to make it. This could look like us staying up too late working on a project (like I am doing RIGHT NOW), or getting the quickest meal because we are short on time, or skipping leg day because we tell ourselves we have to use this time to work on something (not because leg day sucks of course). We tend to sacrifice ourselves for our art, and although sacrifice may be needed for some things, I am here to remind you that your health is not worth sacrificing.
You are here to make things and to put them out in this world to impact us, to forever change us moving forward. This world needs you to make things, and you won't be able to sustain yourself, or be here for the long haul if you don't take care of yourself. So this is your wake up call. The world is not the same without you and your creations, it needs you. I need you. Your art needs you. So take care of yourself. Pay attention to your health so you can continue to change the world, because no one can change the world like you can.
