These photos evoke so much emotion for me! They bring me back to Summer 2016. The summer of walking and logging a bazillion steps, soaking in sunshine and fresh air, noticing the beautiful flowers around me, and sorting out the thoughts in my head. I spent many hours walking around neighborhoods and the baseball fields before games and in between innings. We enjoyed several trips to Cape Cod where we played at the beach and experienced the sense of freedom the beach allows. Nothing else seemed to matter, we played, we goofed around, we took funny pictures, we witnessed beautiful sunsets, and we just enjoyed the moment.

Last summer I truly gained an appreciation for my physical strength. I focused on being grateful for strong legs that walked for miles and for an entire body that was healthy enough to do so. People exercise for many reasons, and it is easy to get caught up in unreasonable goals or a toxic mindset because of an unhealthy body image. It is so liberating to just focus on being STRONG! To set fitness goals that pertain to improving your form or the duration you can hold a pose or weight, or the miles you can walk or run, or the strength you can lift. When you focus on your body’s capabilities, the daily habit of exercise is so much more fun and exciting.

Beyond developing physical strength, exercise has a powerful impact on your thoughts and emotions. In the summer of a bazillion steps, I experienced greater creativity which helped me grow my businesses. There are actually studies that demonstrate a link between exercise and creativity and I totally buy into it! I have found that while I am walking, all of a sudden I find solutions to problems or think of fantastic new ideas. I had so much fun implementing new strategies in my businesses after a walk, and sometimes even during when I just had to stop and create a live video for my business!

I am so excited for the return of the warm weather and can’t wait to get back outside. I have no idea where my legs will take me this summer! But New Englanders understand that by March we are going a bit stir crazy with a severe case of cabin fever. We are ready to bust out of the indoors and end this hibernation! We appreciate the warm weather and opportunities for outdoor activity even more because we are deprived of it all winter.

Our Spring liberation is almost here… just a few more weeks I hope. Strong is the new beautiful. That is my focus this year.