{E.xercise} Run Happy
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that you will never say to yourself , “I shouldn’t have taken the time I took today to go for that run (walk, hike, ride, swim…)” . Your day was better for it, in multiple ways, no matter how early you had to get up or what you may have had to re-prioritize in your day, to get it done.
So often the anticipation of exercising -- thoughts of the possible temporary physical discomfort of the workout -- or the little 'devil voice' that tells you that you don't have enough energy or that you can't spare the time, can be all that it takes to de-rail you from getting it done. How often when you say to yourself "I'll exercise later today" does it get squeezed out once your day is rolling? Or how often do you never get to it when you say to yourself, "I'll do my workout tomorrow" -- or ".. I'll get it in this weekend, for sure"? The intension is there, but the commitment or the follow-through is lacking. What if you re-organized your thought process, re-prioritized your to-do list, in order to take a firm stance, a real commitment to get that session in? If this sounds like you, I would highly recommend opening your calendar and penning/typing it in just like you would any other important event or appointment that you wouldn't dream of being a 'no show' for.
It takes 21 days to create a new habit.. to create a new lifestyle practice.
Once you are in the E.xercise habit and you are a believer that that exercise session
is one, relatively simple thing that you can do to take your day from "meh", to happy, from sluggish to energized, from distracted or even unproductive to clear and focused.. If you are anything like me, you know how it feels to be foggy, or jittery or unsettled. You know how it feels to be lethargic and unmotivated…. Or, dare I say it, you know it feels to be anxious or even a little depressed. I have read clinical studies which have shown that a single bout of exercise is as effective in curing the blues or in calming unstoppable negative thoughts as popping an anti-depressant or anti-anxiety (please note, I make no claim to be a doctor and I am not suggesting that anyone who has been prescribed medication from their physican should stop taking it).
I think most of us can attest to feeling empowered – more self-confident, energized and here it comes… HAPPIER, by simply getting up and out of the desk chair (bed, couch, car..) and moving your body. We don’t need a background in exercise physiology to understand that by increasing your heart and breath rate, you are pumping more oxygenated blood to every cell of your body. You are literally delivering a fresh supply of energy and that means you are flushing out the stale and stagnant in doing so. You feel more alert, clear and energized… you feel happier!
The 'exercise habit' is more likely sustainable because of how you know you are going to feel after you exercise than for the physical health benefits that you know you are getting.
Maybe it's the 'meditation in motion' effect of the rhythmic walking or running steps, bicycle pedaling or swim stoking that causes the brain chemistry to shift into a peaceful, mind-clearing mode. A small investment of time and energy in exercise holds the potential for profound change. Let's review just how much bang for your buck you get with your exercise session:
The physical benefits -- heart and lungs get a workout, digestion is improved, metabolism is boosted, all the body's cells are being regenerated more rapidly, increased proportion of lean muscle to fat tissue, to name a few of the big ones.
The mental benefits -- improved energy, 'mental' vacation from churning thoughts, new perspecives, self-confidence, sense of pride in yourself for getting out there, a sense of calm, boosted endorphins that leave you feeling happier. These positive feelings will help you to get in the E.xercise habit. Your 'exercise habit' may lead you to clean up your eating habits, which will cycle into you feeling better, looking better and living with greater zest and vitality. This is Living with E.N.V.Y.
