Health—also known as wellness—is fascinating. Unlike most things in life, it doesn’t come with a price tag you can swipe a card for. It exists on a spectrum between “sick” and “fit,” and there are endless ways to measure it: blood pressure, body fat percentage, bone density, muscle mass, cholesterol levels, and so on.
But here’s the way I like to measure wellness: can you do the things you want to do in life?
Think about it—can you go on a hike with your dog without feeling wiped out? Can you carry your kids or get down on the floor to play with them? If you travel, are you comfortable walking miles, climbing stairs, or handling uneven terrain without worrying about injury? If your friends call you to help move a couch or join them in a 5K, do you say “yes” with confidence? What if you needed to jump over a creek—could you land safely without tweaking your knee? If your spouse’s car breaks down, could the two of you push it off the road? Or at the lake, could you climb back into the boat without struggling?
The list could go on forever, but the point is simple: true wellness is about being able to live the life you want to live. It’s not just about numbers on a chart; it’s about capability, freedom, and confidence in your own body.
The Catch: You Have to Earn It
Here’s what makes wellness truly interesting—it’s the one thing in life you can’t buy, borrow, or steal. You can hire someone to fix your car, mow your lawn, or even cook your meals, but you can’t outsource your health. You have to earn it. And earning it takes time, effort, consistency, and the discipline to push past your excuses.
I like to think about it this way: when my car breaks down, I could spend hours trying to fix it, but usually it’s faster to just pay a mechanic. But when it comes to my kids, there’s no substitute for me being there. They probably won’t remember who fixed the car, but they will remember their dad playing with them—or not playing with them. That’s where wellness makes all the difference.
Excuses: The Biggest Barrier
Of course, the hardest part isn’t knowing what to do. It’s sticking with it when excuses pop up. We’ve all used them: I’m too tired. I’m too stressed. I’m too sore. I’m too out of shape to exercise.
But here’s the truth—excuses are just little lies we tell ourselves to justify inaction. If someone else told you the same line, you’d probably laugh at how weak it sounds. Yet in our own heads, we convince ourselves it’s solid reasoning.
The problem is, excuses don’t just steal your time; they steal your wellness. And unlike money or material things, once that health is gone, it’s much harder to get back.
Takeaway
Wellness isn’t about being perfect, and it isn’t about chasing every trend. It’s about building a body that allows you to live the life you want—whether that’s hiking, traveling, playing with your kids, or simply being ready for whatever life throws your way.
And the only way to get there? Earn it.
