A dual celebration

Cathleen Kronemer, NSCA-CPT, Certified Health Coach, is a longtime fitness instructor at the Jewish Community Center. 

By Cathleen Kronemer, NSCA-CPT, Certified Health Coach

On Aug. 10, our family celebrated a truly blessed event. We walked our older daughter down the aisle, as she married the man of her dreams under the same chuppah where Mark and I exchanged our vows 22 years ago. Since our anniversary happens to be Aug. 11, the juxtaposition of these two events was truly emotional, especially since it was not deliberately planned that way.

Sometimes events in our lives coincide quite by accident, and in doing so enhance and enrich the experience of each more than the mere sum of their parts. So it is with health and wellness, as aspects of these two entities often find themselves intertwined without our having started with that intention.

Sometimes clients who have been making good progress get temporarily sidelined with an injury/illness not at all related to fitness. During the few weeks of mandatory rest time, he or she may observe other changes in life patterns, some of which developed as a result of the down time. It might be as simple as realizing that the need for calories is not quite as great as when workouts were demanding; and in compensating for that aspect of the equation they are happily surprised that no weight gain occurred during their temporary hiatus from the gym.

Have you ever wanted to spend time catching up with a friend, only to find that her only free time involved inviting you to attend a yoga class with her? Although you have never previously embraced this form of meditative stretching and toning, you discover that you felt fabulous afterward; and now you and your friend are regular “workout buddies” on yoga class days.  It’s what we call a “win-win” situation!

Sometimes this juxtaposition of events may come in the form of nutrition, too.  In trying out various food sources for pre-workout energy, you may accidentally stumble upon the perfect “power breakfast” that propels you through your morning resistance-training routine. Soon this becomes incorporated into your daily meal plan, and you find unknown sources of morning energy where none had previously existed.

Being open to new possibilities in life is essential in order for these “aha moments” to take place.  As we have all heard by now, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results. If we remain cognitively available to the forces of nature and coincidence, we may find that two seemingly unrelated occurrences have indeed come together to open our eyes to a new and beneficial, even powerful, experience.

Twenty-two years ago, as Mark and I exchanged  vows, with my 5-year-old Stephanie as our precious Flower Girl, little did we imagine that someday, on the eve of our anniversary, this little girl would be a beautiful grown woman of 27, fully capable and ready to begin her own journey as someone’s wife and cherished life partner. The world works in mysterious ways; and if we live with our eyes open, we may be surprised by the benevolent coincidences which take place and enhance our wellness immensely!