One hour of exercise. That’s all it took and I felt like a brand new person. I walked a little differently and even looked a little different. Or at least, I looked at myself with new, more appreciative eyes in the mirror. It’s funny what a little exercise can do to the mind!
What I was experiencing was not unique to me. It’s common amongst people who exercise regularly, because exercise has a phenomenal positive effect on our psyche. It builds our confidence and self-esteem.
When we exercise, we automatically adopt other supportive habits, such as eating healthier food. We become that much more conscious of what we put into our bodies and the effects this has on our health.
Many of us reading this article will have, at one point or another, come up with all sorts of excuses as to why we have no time to exercise – our work hours are too long; our kids demand too much of our attention; or we travel too often to form a sustainable gym routine. While on the face of it, these may be perfectly sound justifications, it’s also true that especially if we lead busy, stressful lives, we can’t afford not to make the time for exercise.
It doesn’t take much to be fit, simply start with the desire to be fit. Once you’ve planted that seed in your mind, nurture it by watching other fit people that you know, or on T.V. Realise that you could be one of them, and then make it happen.
Don’t be put off by the thought that you have to adopt a taxing regime from the outset. Simply figure out where you are and where you’d like to be; and then work your way towards your goal. More importantly, don’t measure your progress against anybody else’s – avoid death by comparison.
Keep your feelings about your exercise routine positive! Don’t let it become something you dread otherwise it’s of no real benefit to you. Do as much as makes you feel happy every day and don’t keep taking score of how much weight you’ve lost. Let your increased positive emotions be enough and soon your body will follow suit.
Determine to make 2011 your fittest year yet. Why bother?
Well, for a start, our bodies’ health has a profound impact on the well-being of our minds. Contrary to popular belief, the body is not a mere ‘servant’ of the soul; strengthening our bodies actually helps to develop our minds.
While we often recognise and speak of the innate power of the mind, particularly with regard to creating our own reality, too often, we neglect the importance of developing our bodies. Yet through our bodily actions, we can actually achieve a desired state of mind.
The way we position our bodies can affect our minds. For example, next time you’re in a bad mood, try smiling and watch your anger dissipate. Once you physically behave and act like a cheerful person, your mind will follow suit. The same applies to carrying yourself like someone who’s socially outgoing, even if you have never considered yourself as such. Merely acting that way can lead you to view yourself as being socially outgoing, until it becomes a natural way of being to you. That’s why people talk about ‘faking it until you make it.’
Conversely, if you sit slumped at your desk on a Monday morning, willing yourself to find the energy to do some work, unless you sit up and start behaving like an active person, your mind will find it difficult to play along.
It’s true that most of the time, our bodies can be willed to act in a certain way using our minds; but the body still affects the optimal functioning of the mind.
Think about the times when you’ve been physically ill, thoughts of how to get well again dominate your mind; everything else becomes secondary.
Yet when we are sick, we also can’t get well again unless we believe it in our minds.
Consider also that if our minds are full of chronic thoughts of worry, anger or other negative emotions, this manifests itself as dis-ease (or lack of ‘ease’) in our bodies. Our bodies and minds are intimately linked.
Positive psychologists who’ve examined the link between physical activity and the mind also draw a link between psychological well-being and regular physical activity. They conclude that “gaining physical strength…allows us to feel more confident in our ability to do everyday tasks…and thus can influence our self esteem,” (Martin Seligman).
Physical activity can not only prevent mental health problems, it can also treat mental illness; and improve the quality of life of those suffering from mental problems. It’s associated with better cognitive functioning, the decline of which can be accelerated by aging.
If you haven’t already, think about how you could integrate exercise into your life this year. Consider the benefits it could have on your professional life: it’ll make you mentally sharper and more confident. It won’t only reduce your stress levels, it will also lead to greater mental acuity, enabling you to find creative ways to solve different problems.
You’d be amazed at the increased levels of productivity and well-being you’ll experience once you begin exercising, so organise your schedule and make the time.
The benefits on our personal and social lives are immense too – I’m quickly discovering that lively, good looking people hang out in gyms, so exercise has now become a fun and energising way for me to connect with interesting people.
Use exercise to help you form meaningful connections with your friends too. Next time you’re thinking about hanging out, instead of doing the usual lunch, think about how you could break up the routine by doing some fun outdoor sport, or going to the gym, together. Having fun while exercising will bring you closer together; and of course, the feeling you’ll get of loving your bodies afterwards is priceless!
