It's me again π
Read time: 3 minutes
Hello, you wonderful person!
I know you missed me last week, but I was busy in the French Alps partying for 4 days, followed by 3 days in the Italian Alps snowboarding.
Let me give you a brief overview of how the last couple of weeks have gone:
- I packed up all of my stuff and left Barcelona 2 weeks ago.
- Flew to Lyon airport, met two friends, rented a car, and drove to Alpe d'Huez for a 4-day festival in the mountains called Tomorrowland Winter.
- Drank some whiskey, had some beers, ate a bunch of mushrooms, danced til my feet hurt, and had the GREATEST time ever with two awesome lads!
- Then I drove us to Cervinia in Italy for some actual skiing & snowboarding for 3 days.
- I've never snowboarded before, so two of us did 5 hours of snowboarding lessons split over two days.
- On the final day, we were 'good' enough to go down the runs on our own.
- Felt a bit of confidence soaring through my body, but was quickly brought down to earth when I sent myself 20 feet down the mountain, absolutely smashing myself in the process. My shoulder is still a bit tender today, but at least my ribs are feeling better π
- I drove us back to Lyon airport, where we all went our separate ways, which for me included a flight to London and then a connecting flight to Dublin.
- Woke up in my dad's on Wednesday morning with a brutal cold! Definitely a combination of being slightly run down after partying for 4 days, snowboarding for 3 days, and driving almost 800km, oh, and moving country, of course π«
As I'm writing this, I'm still not 100%, but do you know what?
I'd do it all again in a heartbeat!
Now, I haven't shared this with you for no apparent reason, although I do have quite a few regular readers who read every one of my weekly newsletters, so I thought I'd explain the missing-in-action status.
I've spoken about this before on my socials, certainly on LinkedIn in recent months, and it's something that doesn't get spoken about enough regarding health.
This trip of mine covered two key elements of excellent health and longevity that countless people are missing out on.
- Social
- Play
And I don't mean social media or fondling yourself π
I mean, interacting with people in a social setting and playing as you did as a kid.
Let me explain...
We all know by now that human beings are social creatures and historically have been shown to thrive in 'packs'.
Well, more and more research is coming out on the importance that our social circle plays in our health.
When you think about it logically, it makes complete sense.
Think about how energised and full of life you feel after a good catch-up with family or friends. Or the buzz you get from playing with your local sports team or competing in a race.
That feeling you get can't be created elsewhere, no matter how hard you try.
That impact on your mental health then has a direct impact on your physical health.
- Better mood
- Lower heart rate
- Higher quality sleep
- Stable blood pressure
All because you boosted your social scores.
With the drastic rise of the internet, it's no surprise that people are meeting less and less in person and resorting to online relationships.
I coach all of my clients online and maintain most of my close relationships through my phone, but physically being in someone's company and sharing experiences can't be compared to digital relationships.
We weren't built to talk through a screen, no matter how much we're adapting to that way of life.
We NEED to meet people face-to-face to maintain optimal health.
It could be as simple as meeting a friend for coffee, going to your local gym and joining a class, or going to the French Alps to let loose for 4 days.
But we all need to be in and around people as much as we can, and this is coming from an introvert who loves being at home π
And then there's play.
Now, there are several benefits to playing as an adult.
- You burn more calories
- You have fun
- You lower your stress
- You rekindle old childhood memories
But again, the idea of 'playing' as an adult gets lost on so many.
You might have seen me speak or write about it before, but I don't feel an age. Yeah, I've got more responsibilities, and I'm in the middle of building a new business, and I eventually want a family of my own, but I don't feel 34... I'm just me.
My dedication to my health and fitness plays a big role in that. It means I approach situations knowing my body won't let me down, which lets me lose myself as my 9-year old self would have done.
I never miss an opportunity to play. I'll be the first one to play Mario Kart with the kids, or chase the dog around the garden, or goof around with friends, and I believe it's playing a key role in how I approach the world.
Now I ain't telling you to go buy a Nintendo Switch or a trampoline to practise your backflips, but I am telling you to start embracing the opportunity to let loose a little and make your younger self proud.
It could be as simple as throwing a ball with your son, or playing dress up with your niece, or playing crazy golf with your work friends, but no matter what form it comes in, play is a major part of long-lasting health.
Snowboarding last week was the perfect example of both of these things in play.
Me and a mate spent a few days learning a new skill, continuously falling on our arses, having a laugh while doing it, and getting humbled by the snow.
And my oh my was it good for my soul!
The occasional hot chocolate and rum did help π
So, I'll leave you with this, a bit of food for thought...
When was the last time you genuinely played and let loose?
Like, seriously, let yourself go and forget you were an adult for a brief moment?
If the answer isn't this year, then you've got something to organise π«΅π»
I'm telling you right now that it's going to play a bigger role in your long-term health than you will ever realise.
Right, I'll leave you with this picture of me on the baby slope with the mighty Matterhorn mountain in the background π
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