The late Paul Harvey was famous for his short radio segment known as The Rest of the Story. What I recall was the suspense I felt listening to each story, knowing that the ending would have some kind of twist.

Strange intro for a blog, perhaps, but there is a point. It is easy to lock into a particular view of things early in the game, so to speak, and then shut off our critical-thinking. I believe we often to this to our own detriment (realistic), if not to our own peril (dramatic).

I refer here to how we think about engaging in a wellness challenge such as this one. I don’t know exactly how to best categorize it, so you’ll notice that I don’t make a big distinction between wellness and fitness when I refer to our 10,000 Kettlebell Challenge for Parkinsons. Regardless of the term(s) I use, though, I sometimes fall into the trap of thinking it’s all about the activity: 10,000 Kettlebell swings; 20 pushups/day; spending more time outside; increasing our social contact; and so on…

The challenge today is mostly in relation to physical activity challenges. However, you can decide whether this applies to your situation if you are doing some other type of wellness challenge. Improving wellness comprises activities in at least seven different areas (physical wellness is just one), so there are LOTS of ways to boost your wellness. Regardless of you chosen activity, here is the challenge:

Rest. Take a break. Build occasional inactivity into your schedule, or maybe even a snooze! As far as what “rest” means, The Oxford English Dictionary has several definitions. The most common (and familiar) ones include the dual elements of stopping something you were doing and recovering or regaining strength. These elements are clearly connected; you intentionally stop the activity in order to recover.

Don’t get so caught up in any wellness-improvement plan that you actually wear yourself out. It is critical that you stress your physical system in a strengthening regime, but equally important are the recovery periods in between periods of exertion. In fact, the strengthening effect takes place during those recovery periods. That, literally, is what the recovery is.

The message here is simple. Set goals for yourself. Take on challenges, and work hard. But don’t forget to rest. You need it. So, to quote Paul Harvey, “…now you know the rest of the story.”