Kyla Helgeland Alexander LM, CPM, CPT

I’m not generally someone who makes New Year’s resolutions, but being in the fitness space it’s hard to avoid. It’s also hard to avoid the conservative MAHA bs. That’s another post (or 1000), but everything that’s happening in our country has me continually thinking about how to move forward. I don’t have answers, but this is what I can do.

•Nurture my empathy for everyone who is being targeted by this administration. Read books! Stay informed, but be cautious about marinating in the news. Becoming numb only makes atrocities easier to accept/ignore.

•Stay connected with my community. We are stronger together.

•Be fucking angry. It’s an appropriate response.

•Do cardio. Lift weights. It’s how we make our stress bucket bigger, so we can deal with stressful situations and still cope, and think, and act. And if worst comes to worst, I want to have the strength to fight and the endurance to run.

•EAT. There’s a reason that skinny is back in style; underfed & weak people are easier to control. Also, you can’t build muscle if you’re constantly trying to shrink. Protein is important, but so are fats & carbs. Don’t forget the plants! They are our best sources of many micronutrients, which we need to feel and function our best.

•Change buying/consuming habits. Support small, local businesses, and local farmers & ranchers. Buy used. Fix things rather than replace them when possible. Big corporations are a big part of the problem. Let’s stop, or at least reduce, how much of our money we give them. I know this one can be tough depending on where you live and your income level. We’re very fortunate to have a lot of options here in the Seattle area, and I can afford to spend a little more on local, pasture raised beef, for example. We all have to survive but every shift we can make is helpful, especially the more of us there are. I’ve stopped purchasing from companies who donate to republicans, union bust, support ICE, or eliminate DEI.

Additional things I do as a small business owner:

•Strive to pay a living wage. No one makes minimum wage.

•Transitioning to an employee owned business.

•Accepting barters & work trade.

•Offering free services when possible.