September calls on the fall season and can represent a time of change and transition. Kids are being ushered back to class with a mix of curiosity and excitement….and maybe a little bit of dread as the summer draws to a close. Do you think back to your youth at this time of year? Do you remember the chatter at the bus stop and the smell of school supplies? Maybe you recall hearing your name called for attendance and the nervous excitement you felt as you crossed the threshold into the cafeteria. Our nostalgia can be triggered when those school bells start ringing. Nostalgia may be defined as a sentimentality for the past, with a person, place, or time that creates positive associations. Nostalgia can help us feel connected and comforted. It can also serve as a powerful motivator. In fact, recently published research suggests that nostalgia “raises optimism and inspiration and strengthens the pursuit of one's important goals.” 

Connecting with a health coach can help you consider this concept further as it relates to your personal health and wellness. Take physical activity for example. What does that look like to you now? What did it look like when you were younger? Did you have a blast in phys ed class? Were you racing around the track or pitching for your town softball team? Have you followed exercise trends of decades past? The act of nostalgic reflection helps us to look back on positive memories, experiences, thoughts, and feelings, and it can spur action. 

This can look different for everyone. We are not all athletes, nor do we all have pleasant memories of gym class, or exercise in general. Expanding the range of what qualifies as “physical activity” may help. Perhaps you were picked last for the team yet could outpace other 10-year-olds with the roller-skate version of the Hokey-Pokey. You may have never pitched a no-hitter and still managed to crush the neighborhood kids in every single game of backyard horseshoes. What types of movement activities stand out to you when you think about fun and playing in childhood? The activities we engaged in and enjoyed as kids were like our grounding force. They kept us living in the moment while we nurtured our connections with family, friends, nature, and ourselves. Play provided space and time for laughter and rejuvenation, and created a launching pad for growth of imagination, self-confidence, resilience, problem-solving and pure joy. And as a bonus, we were actively conditioning and strengthening our physical bodies, often without thinking about it. 

As an adult, the challenge to remain physically active can be tough. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Physical Activity Guidelines for most adults recommend that we aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity, or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity per week. Muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days per week are also advised. We know that regular physical activity can help strengthen all muscles, including the heart. It can also help manage weight and blood pressure along with lowering our risk of Type 2 diabetes. Working towards our fitness goals can improve sleep and help to lower cholesterol and stress levels. The potential health benefits of regular physical activity are numerous, and often, so are the barriers to reaching those goals. Exploration of how we have connected physical activity with fun or joy in our youth can serve as a reference point to guide us forward. 

It may help to pause and take a moment to pull a few childhood play and fun memories out of storage. Check out some classic gym class, backyard, recess, and family room favorites you may have enjoyed:

• Volleyball or badminton
• Dodge ball, kickball, wiffle ball, HORSE!
• Shuttle run, long jump, burpees, jumping jacks, and side
• shuffles
• Roller skates/blades or skateboard
• Croquet, cornhole, bocci ball, or horseshoes
• Frisbee, jump rope/Double Dutch, hula hoop, Pogo stick
• Bike Olympics, red light/green light, hopscotch, tug-ofwar, capture the flag, freeze tag
• Rope or tree climbing, swings, see-saw, monkey bars
• Twister, laundry basket rides, wheelbarrow walk,
• crabwalk soccer
• Square or line dancing

What were your favorites? A health coach can partner with you to strategize and optimize a plan to reach your goals and sustain healthy behaviors over time…all the while having fun and staying young and healthy at heart. As the school bell rings once more, take a moment or two to reflect and reconnect with the fun and joy of youth. Just because summer is ending, doesn’t mean the kid in you can’t come out and play!