Without question and with the risk of sounding like a broken record … what a year 2020 has been.

I sat today reflecting on summers past where my family and I would reap the rewards of vacation and getaway planning and the growing excitement that we would feel each year in anticipation of a week filled with sun, fun, and relaxation.

Vacation in 2020? Well, we didn’t really have the option of anything but a “staycation.”

At the beginning of summer, one of my daughters had the idea of building a firepit for us to enjoy. That was all the spark that we needed to repurpose our vacation funds.

The firepit was built and that led to us building outdoor furniture, then building an outdoor entertainment system with a projector and big screen and surround sound built from materials we already had. That led to a zip line in the backyard for the little ones. And we had to learn how to do all of this through research, which was abundantly available.

Every day since, I am met by my own thoughts of “What can we do next to make this summer great in the face of never before seen events?”

I tell you this because the same applies to taking care of ourselves. The thoughts of exercise or eating foods that are good for our bodies rather than foods that please our taste buds is a very similar mental environment to that of facing a summer without a proper vacation. And yet, it was one of our best summers.

There are ways to take care of yourself without eating kale and spinach-laden smoothies and struggling to do exercises which you hate.

It is a daunting task, but, doing something for your health so that you might have one more day, one more week, one more year to enjoy quality time with your family seems like it would be highly valuable.

When you prioritize something such as your health, you are willing to learn the tricks of taking care of the one thing that means more than money, cars, houses, pools etc.

You’ve got one chance at life and not many spins around the great big star we call the sun.

So, do yourself a favor, heed my advice. Go learn how to be healthy. Learn what your body wants to make your engine purr. Learn what certain foods and behaviors are doing to your life’s battery.

Are you draining that battery faster than you should be by eating fast food regularly or consuming empty calories each day from soft drinks? Are you letting your engine get weak because you don’t charge it enough with regular exercise?

Learn how to be healthy. Nothing is as important as your health. Don’t wait until it’s too late to find that out.

As the end of summer nears, I am thankful that my daughter asked me to make a firepit in our yard. It was the first small step to one of the most memorable family summers that we’ve had.

Every great journey starts with one small step. Take that small step and find out how to be healthier through exercise and eating better. Little changes can add up over time and the result could be an improvement in your quality of life. I’d love to help in any way that I can.

One more day, one more week, one more year to enjoy your family could be worth it, don’t you think?

Find a way to make it happen!

Joel J. Digris is a Schuylkill County resident with a master’s degree in physical therapy. He is currently employed by Achieva Rehabilitation as an outpatient provider of physical therapy and serves residents in Carbon, Schuylkill and Luzerne counties.

The Times News Media Group do not endorse or recommend any medical products, processes, or services or provide medical advice. The views of the author do not necessarily state or reflect those of the Times News. The article content is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician, or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.