Ho, Ho, Ho...?

Jennifer and I braved the traffic and the crowds at the mall for a little last minute shopping today, and I realized a few things:

1. I hate the mall
2. I hate crowds (see #1)
3. Online shopping is definitely the way to go (see #1 & #2)
4. There are a lot of overweight and out of shape people in this world, and they all congregate at mall food courts.

From my observations, the mall Santa was actually looking pretty slim and fit compared to some of the people that I saw today, and it was honestly pretty sad. At a time of the year where people are thinking of which gifts to buy for their loved ones, no one seemed to understand that the most important gift wasn't one that they were going to find on a sale rack.

In another week, thousands and thousands of people will be making New Year's resolutions to "lose weight" and get in shape. Unfortunately, most of them will fail after a few short weeks and fall back on the poor habits and lifestyles that they swore to change at the drop of the New Year's ball.

So why not change things this year? Instead of promising yourself that you're going to go to the gym (just like you did last year, and the year before, and the year before that...), why not give your health as a "gift" to someone else? Promise your spouse that you will faithfully exercise 2-3 mornings every week. Promise your children that you will go to your favorite bootcamp every Thursday after work. Tell your parents that this year, along with the tie and scarf tucked away under the tree, you're going to give them the most important gift that any parent could want: a healthier, happier child. Hold yourself accountable not only to yourself, but to the people that you care about the most...because they care about you too, and want you to be the best that you can possibly be.

This year, make it a holiday season to remember. Show the special people in your life just how much you care about them by letting them know that you "get it." What better gift could there ever be than to ensure that you will be happier, healthier and active for a long time to come, not just for yourself but for the people that love you, too?

...And stay away from the malls. Trust me on that one.

Happy holidays, everyone. Be safe and be healthy...and the happiness will follow.

-Jonathan