How Do We Actually Be Healthy?

Last time, we talked about what health is—flow, relationship, connection, listening.

This time, I want to talk about something even more practical:

How do we actually be healthy?

My dad used to say something that has stayed with me my entire life:

Health is simple. People are complicated.

And the older I get, the more true that feels.

Health isn’t about five-hour morning routines.
It’s not about rigid diets.
It’s not about running miles every day or turning your life into a self-improvement bootcamp.

Health is about reducing stagnation—physically, emotionally, energetically—and creating enough flow that your system can do what it already knows how to do.

We Are Not Potatoes

Let’s start with the obvious.

We are animals.
We are not vegetables.
We are definitely not potatoes.

That means movement matters.

Disease—or dis-ease—does not thrive where there is flow. Stagnation is the common denominator I see over and over again, whether we’re talking about physical symptoms, emotional patterns, or mental overwhelm.

And stagnation doesn’t just show up in the body.

Think about what happens emotionally when something is bothering you.

We sit.
We stew.
We replay.

Or… we can get up and move.

Sometimes the most effective intervention for depression, anxiety, or emotional heaviness isn’t a pill or a protocol—it’s changing your physical state. Literally moving your body out of the stuck pattern it’s in.

Simple Morning Rhythm (Not Perfection)

I’m not perfect.
No one is.

There’s no such thing as perfect health where nothing ever happens. Stop chasing that fantasy—it creates more stress than it solves.

What does help is starting the day smoothly.

For me, that looks like about 30 minutes total:

• Gentle warmth to help things expand and flow

• Simple lymphatic stimulation

• Slow, intentional movement

• Paying attention to where my body feels restricted that day

That last part matters.

If you never move through range of motion, how would you even know where you’re holding tension?

Listening requires feedback. Movement gives you feedback.

And when I add intention—breath, sound, emotion—it becomes the opposite of stagnation.

Not dramatic.
Not extreme.
Just consistent.

Sitting Is the New Smoking (So… Stand)

Most of my workday happens at a computer.

So I made one simple change: I stand.

I use a standing desk and move around constantly—weight shifting, barefoot, foot up on a chair, small movements throughout the day.

Years ago, an osteopath we deeply respect was asked:

“What’s the best chair if I have to sit all day?”

His answer?

“Stand.”

And if you do sit? Fine. Just don’t fossilize.

The body doesn’t mind rest.
It minds unchanging positions.

Emotional Hygiene Is Just As Important

Emotions hit us all day long.

Conversations. Emails. Stress. Other people’s fear.

So you need tools, not willpower.

For me, that means:

• Simple breathing to bring coherence back

• Grounding—literally standing barefoot on the earth

• Short breaks that reset my nervous system

Sometimes I’ll go outside for five minutes after an intense call and just let my system discharge.

That’s not indulgent.
That’s maintenance.

Play Is Medicine (Yes, Really)

This might be the most underrated part of health.

Play.

I don’t “exercise” because I should.
I move because it’s fun.

Swinging a rope.
Throwing a boomerang.
Laughing at stupid things.
Feeling like a kid for five minutes.

That shift—from seriousness back into joy—is not trivial.

Joy is usable energy for the body.

When people tell me they’re exhausted all the time, I often ask:

“When was the last time you laughed for no reason?”

Food, Family, and Coherence

Another thing my dad said that I’ve watched play out repeatedly:

If you want healthier, happier families—
eat together.

Prepare food together.
Talk.
Clean up together.

That rhythm creates coherence, and coherence is deeply regulating for the nervous system—especially for kids.

Ending the Day the Way You Started It

Just like mornings, evenings matter.

I earn my rest.

Music.
Guitars.
Drums.
Cartoons.
Surf videos.
Joy.

And before sleep, a few minutes of heart-centered breathing—nothing fancy.

I go to bed when I’m tired.
I fall asleep easily.
My body knows what to do when I get out of its way.

The One Non-Negotiable

If you take nothing else from this:

Get at least 10 minutes of joy every day.

Not fake positivity.
Not forced happiness.

Just something that reminds your body that life isn’t only about surviving.

You don’t have to be happy all the time.
Darkness exists so we can recognize light.

But misery, practiced daily, will shape your terrain just as surely as movement and food will.

So yes—
Have the cookie.
Just don’t eat the whole box.

And I’m genuinely curious:

What do you do to stay healthy—physically, emotionally, energetically?

Share it in the comments.
If this resonates, please share it.
And if you haven’t subscribed yet, I’d love to have you here.

Now if you’ll excuse me… I think I’m going to go put my feet in the grass.

Hasta luego.