DO-ABLE FITNESS: Health-Fitness-Beauty for Body-Mind-Spirit. We Care!

Hello everyone,

Got needs?  We all have needs.  None of us can reject the universal truth and undeniable fact that needs are part of our existence.  Some of the more common and recognizable needs for survival include air, water, food, clothes and shelter.  These basic needs must be met to ensure and sustain life.  Illnesses and infections, dangers and death will result if these essential necessities are unsatisfied.  For these reasons, we are likely to agree that it would be sad, sadistic and senseless to deprive someone of these provisions.

Today, I would like to address other needs that are equally important.  They are often unacknowledged.  Many times, they are given scarce legitimacy or validity.  They tend to be overlooked and go unmet.  They may not even be considered vital.  However, just like the above-mentioned needs, they are also crucial and seminal in having a balanced life and wellness.

Both children and adults have these additional needs.  From birth to death, each of us long to have these needs filled.  Like the five basic ones, a deprivation of these needs will cause a deterioration of our physical health, as well as our emotional, mental, relational and spiritual welfare.  Only achieving good physical health is incomplete.  The journey toward total wellness should also encompass a pursuit of optimal emotional and spiritual health.

The totality of who we are entails significant needs of our body, mind and spirit.  Our corporal self is only an aspect of our humanity.  Because the body, mind and spirit are inseparable and intertwined, it is wise to acknowledge, address and satisfy all our needs.  To tend to only one of the three aspects does not treat or optimize our complete health.

Okay, enough teasing.  Let’s discuss these additional needs.

Need for Affection

As much as food can feed the body, affection can nourish the deepest hunger of our soul.  A yearning to be loved.  A craving to be nurtured.  Love can be conveyed via edifying words, kind acts or spending time with someone.  “I love you.”  “You are special.”  Giving a gift when it is not expected.  Going on a hike with someone.  These loving statements and deeds can uplift the downcast, inspire the discouraged and comfort the dejected.

Affection can also be expressed via healthy touch.  The need for touch is as important as the need for food.  Affectionate touch is therapeutic.  Touch deprivation has detrimental effects on our health.  Those who are touch deprived have a greater likelihood to feel anxious, lonely and/or depressed, and this can lead to unhealthy issues like comfort/emotional eating, social phobia, etc.  Those who have been wounded physically, emotionally and spiritually can benefit greatly from receiving nourishing touch.  A pat, caress, hug, embrace, cuddle, and other forms of beneficial touch—all promote healing and restoration.

Need for Affirmation

As much as water can quench our thirst, affirmation can satisfy our need to be heard, acknowledged, understood and accepted.  Many of us are unrecognized for being kind and caring.  Many of us are unappreciated for being selfless and sacrificial.  We need approval.  We long to be appreciated.  A lack of affirmation may cause us to search for it by becoming a people-pleaser without any healthy boundaries, and this may lead to some unhealthy behaviors.  Likewise, a deficiency of affirmation may cause us to neglect our own needs in the quest to find some.  Moreover, we may build our self-worth on things that truly do not bring lasting peace and joy.

Life can be draining.  Stress, worries, and anxieties can deplete our overall wellness and take a tool on our body, mind and spirit.  Therefore, let’s be proactive in being a messenger and tool of health and wellbeing.  Let’s abundantly acknowledge, affirm, appreciate and approve!  A nod, smile, hello, handshake, “attaboy/girl!”, “good job,” “I’m proud of you!”, a gift, and other ways to convey affirmation—all promote good self-worth and security.

Need for Acceptance

The need for acceptance is also essential to have a balanced life.  Similar to the need to be affirmed, we all have an inherent desire to fit in.  None of us enjoys being ostracized.  Many of us have a fear of rejection, and, as you may know, this fear can cause us not to live up to our full potential.  We need to form our unique identity, so we have a firm foundation and sense of self and self-worth.  In short, we all long to belong!

My heart goes out to those who are rejected.  I am sad when I see someone who is alone and lonely.  I empathize with those who are considered lost causes.  I am an advocate of those who have no one to turn to.  Love is not just a feeling.  Love is an action.  Just as faith without deeds is dead, love without action is worthless.  Embracing this truth propels me to make a difference in positive and proactive ways.

Too often in life, we see people who are exclusively focused on their own needs, desires, goals, aspirations, issues and problems.  Although there is nothing wrong with tending to our own interests and concerns, I am convinced it is more fulfilling to not be consumed by self-promotion, self-aggrandizement and self-centeredness.  Utter narcissism is not an existence I want to live.  Instead, my passion is to be a bridge-builder.  My purpose is to extend a meaningful and beneficial friendship to those who are ignored, lost and broken.  My prayer is that I can be used to empower (not enable) and be a conduit of healing and restoration.

Need for Aspiration

The need for aspiration is key in achieving an optimal life.  It is said that without a vision, the people perish.  Those of us who do not have ambition or set goals tend to lead an existence of mediocrity and stagnation.  Conversely, those who are driven to better themselves and their situation tend to have more contentment.  Having a greater purpose in life can give us a lasting joy.  Having a deeper meaning in life can bring us a peace that surpasses common sense.

Some of us seem to have everything.  Fame and fortune.  Intellect and importance.  Wit and wealth.  Authority and affluence.  Luxury and looks.  Acclaim and accomplishments.  Millions and mansions.  Lauded and loved by millions.  Yet, many of these success stories lack true significance.  With all the pleasures afforded to them, they lack lasting peace.  A deep meaning in life escapes them amid the worldly distractions.  An altruistic purpose in life is drowned out by the superficial deification.

Rich or poor, educated or unschooled, beautiful or unattractive, powerful or unassuming, or anywhere in between, we all have an innate need for profound significance, meaning and purpose in life.  Let’s celebrate the successes we have accomplished, but let’s not stop there.  May we all have lives filled with genuine joy, peace, depth, fulfillment and love…and that only comes from a humble gratitude of who we are and what we have and using our time, talents and treasures to bless others!

All my best to you and yours,

Etienne

Hello friends,

How are you?  How is life treating you?  I appreciate you and your visiting me again on this humble blog website.  I hope my words, thoughts and actions give you some comfort, guidance, and a sense that you are not alone.  We are all in this journey called life together.  We are all part of the human race.  We all bleed red.  Individually and together, we can strive to be the best we can be in all aspects, and, from there, we can make sincere efforts to make this imperfect world a better place to live in.

I know I sound like an optimistic idealist, however, I would describe myself as an optimistic realist and pragmatist.  I know very well that reality can be full of disappointments, discouragements and disasters.  Life can present many forms of sadness, sickness and senselessness.  With that in mind, I find it helpful to not lose all hope and faith.  No matter how gloomy the future looks, with some perseverance and a longsuffering, intrepid spirit, we shall overcome.  No matter how dark the clouds are, the sun still rises in the east and sets in the west.

I have not been sheltered to a cornucopia of abuses, adversities and afflictions.  I have not been immune to a plethora of failures, fears and frictions.  Amid the sorrows, storms and sufferings, I have become deeply discouraged, yet I did not go down the path of definite defeat.  My hope in humanity and faith in people and Providence have waned, yet I took steps forward on the road to healing and wholeness.  Being broken does not scare me.  In fact, my brokenness has given me many serendipitous opportunities to heal, feel and be real.  The shattered pieces in our lives can become an awesome mosaic that depicts a beautiful portrait that can provide awe and inspiration to others.

The copious hurts and hindrances in my life have tempted me to become a bitter person with a heart of stone–totally jaded by people and hardened by life.  Such existence is not true living and is not the abundant life that many search for, one that I desperately long for.  I want to soar.  I desire a life of excellence, not an existence of mediocrity.  Ergo, I decided to become:

• Better instead of Bitter,
• Helpful instead of Hurtful,
• Compassionate instead of Callous,
• Sacrificial instead of Superficial,
• Altruistic instead of Avaricious,
• Loving instead of Loathsome.

I have come to realize that the adversities and anxieties, misfortunes and mishaps, fears and frictions in my life were replete with lessons for me to learn.  They provided much wisdom.  They tested my character.  They challenged my integrity.  They tested my selflessness.  They purified me and edified me.  They served a purpose or purposes that shaped me to be individual that I am today.  The emotional scars remind me that I am broken.  The wounds tell me I have come a long way, and I am still under construction, a work in progress.

None of us is perfect; I am far from it.  Yet, with all my faults, foibles and failures, I am decisively focused and proactively intent on bringing laughter, life and love to others.  It only takes a spark to start a fire, and I pray that I can be used as a messenger and an instrument to inspire the discouraged, edify the distraught, care for the unloved, comfort the rejected, feed the hungry, and quench the deep thirst of many souls.  I strongly believe that when we seek to help others, we heal ourselves—I am a testament of this truth!

All my best to you and yours,

Etienne

Hello everyone,

Thanks for visiting again.  Many of you have emailed me your comments, and it seems to be from all over the world.  I love hearing from you.  I appreciate all of you and thanks for sharing your thoughts and feelings.  I am glad my blog website helps you in some way.  As I have shared before, my joy and contentment come from helping others with some encouraging and caring words.

Many of you asked if you can share my blog website with your family and friends on Facebook, MySpace and other social networking media.  Please do!  I would be honored and humbled if you tell all your loved ones in your life.  If my sharing can help to inspire, comfort, guide and support someone, I feel truly blessed and privileged.

I am sorry I am not able to personally respond to each of you who left comments.  With this blog posting, I extend my gratitude to all of you.  Thank you for bookmarking my site and continuing to follow me.  I will resume posting more blogs soon.  I love writing about life and all the issues that fill our lives—relationships, love, health, challenges, disappointments, failures, victories, work, career, beauty, fitness, families, friendships, morality, self-awareness, self-improvement, purpose, meaning, peace, and so forth.

Although physical fitness, health and beauty are important, it is wise for us to also focus on our mind, spirit and soul.  In today’s society, all around the world, we see so many events that can cause us disappointment, discouragement and displeasure.  Many of us are experiencing some hard times—the loss of a job, an illness or poor health, financial hardships, a break-up or divorce, loneliness, lack of meaning or purpose in life, feeling misunderstood, drained or used, and so on.  To be balanced, life offers many blessings, and it is helpful to never lose sight of that.  Having an attitude of gratitude and counting our blessings can promote health.  By the same token, it is important to know we are not alone in our struggles and trials.  Through this blog website, I want to assure you that you are struggling alone.  Please read my past blog postings, since I have poured my heart out in striving to encourage and comfort you on various levels and areas.  Stay tuned for more postings that I pray will edify, enlighten and entertain you!

In the meantime, please take good care of yourself.

Etienne (Stephen)

Dear friends, family, fans and followers,

Welcome back!  I am thankful for you and share with you from the depths of my heart, mind, soul and spirit.  My wish is that you benefit in all aspects from our blog website and YouTube videos.  We are all physical, emotional, mental, social and spiritual beings, so it is my purpose to enhance overall health, fitness and beauty (inner and outer).  Together, we can do it!

This is a brief post to thank you for ALL the support and love we have received.  Your kind words and thoughts are amazing.  I am very happy that our sharing encourages and helps you.  I especially enjoy reading numerous emails from all over the world.

Thank you for being interested in our stories and life/health journeys.  Because we want to continue to motivate and guide you all, Chiquita and I decided to start writing a book!  So many of you have asked us about who we are, our backgrounds, our health journeys, and so much more.  We are hoping and praying that our book gets published, because we sincerely want to be used as instruments to help others live life to the fullest.  We are excited to have the opportunity to share our lives and the plethora of lessons we have learned with you!

We are deeply grateful and humbled by all the support and love you all show us.   All of you are special, and we are all worthy of an optimal life filled with good health, healing, happiness and hilarity!

With much gratitude and anticipation,

-Etienne-