What does health mean to me?

Written by Tijana Sharp, UTS Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science student

Health to me is a sense of freedom in movement, thoughts and feelings. In this current uncertain climate, I have had to recontextualise that.

Health has always been a priority of mine. I was lucky enough to grow up in a sporty and healthy family so my active endeavours of team sport and dance were always supported. This naturally guided me down the pathway of Sport and Exercise Science and here I am, despite the current state of the world in my final year!

Given that health remains at the forefront of my lifestyle, I have witnessed the difficulty of maintaining ALL aspects of health in this overwhelming and restricting time.

Like many of us, my passion, job (as a personal trainer) and means of social interaction have been flipped upside down and I have been forced to find new solutions. It is important to not give up though; a new normal is still normal!

So where do we go?

There are almost TOO many answers here, social media flooding with online workouts, banana bread recipes and posts of new home projects, skills and self-promises. It is easy to feel overwhelmed and pressured into beating isolation with a self-renovation, but I’ve found that balance and self-care work just as well.

Go “back to basics”.

Go back to something you miss or neglect. With plenty of previous injuries, there is always something for me to improve on in terms of exercise and training, so I’ve been targeting these weaknesses now I have the time. I’ve even been lucky enough to begin implementing the knowledge and experience gained from my degree, spending time in my home gym playing around with new exercises and training modes.

Go “to others”.

Sure, maybe not in the conventional sense of social events, parties and brunches, but go to those in your house, even those in your phone. We are lucky enough to have access to the technology that literally connects the world but don’t forget those who you still can squeeze and hug hello each day.

Go “to you”.

Go back to your loves, passions and practices that make you, you.
Simply put; “you do you”.

This semester has gone from what would have been a packed schedule of lectures, tutorials, running U:PASS, training clients and working, to one of sleep ins, self-care and reflection. While we are in the unknown, one thing we can do, is get to know ourselves more and get to know our new definition of health.

Read more: Five self-care strategies (that won’t cost a thing!)