Have you ever woken up in the morning and felt a profound lack of motivation and joy for the day? Does the very act of waking up and brushing your teeth or getting ready for work drag you down? Do you feel you are doing the same thing over and over again? We all experience these moments from time to time due to stress.
Some of the symptoms of not being able to enjoy life are:
- The simple act of waking up and going through the day feels burdensome
- Feeling of pointlessness
- Inability to look forward to the day ahead
- Personal relationships weighing you down
What if I told you that there is an effective fix for this? And, it is fun! Just the mere thought of it fills you with lots of joy and happiness!
This friend of yours is called EXERCISE!! Exercising is so good that it can change your perspective on life. Working out releases endorphins that make you feel good – secretion of endorphins leads to feelings of euphoria, modulation of appetite, the release of sex hormones and enhancement of the immune response. With high endorphin levels, we feel less pain and fewer negative effects of stress.
Is there a recipe here for the exercise? No – Any form of exercise is good.
- Playing a sport
- Working out in the gym
- Yoga practice in the morning
- A stroll in a park, a run or a walk of 30 – 40 minutes
- Swimming
The above can do wonders.
Let me tell you a story that made me realize the importance of exercise.
I was in a high-pressure job with a bank and I was doing 15 – 16-hour work days. This gifted me a weight gain of 15 kgs, a sense of high stress and life felt like a burden. This is when I met a friend who played squash. His game partner had not turned up and he asked me to come along and try playing with him as a one-off. I grudgingly agreed and dragged myself to the game and was already looking at my watch as I entered the court. As I was 10 minutes into the game, I was already panting, struggling, stumbling and was quite a spectacle. But I surprised myself! I was ENJOYING IT!!
At the end of an hour, I booked myself in for the next game with him and as I reached home, my wife exclaimed: “You look happy!”. I could not believe that just an amateur game of squash had made this difference.
I started playing (and learning) over the next few weeks and to better my game, I started cycling. In about 3 months, I found my strength, stamina and physical well-being improving. This had an all-around effect on my life – I started performing better at work and was more engaging and joyful when I was at home. I thank my friend every single day as I continue my exercise regime – if not for him, I would never have walked through the door! In a year’s time, I had become healthier by 10kgs, my trousers fitted me better and I felt so confident. This “Good-Feeling” from my exercise has also translated into all the other areas of my life and I find myself happy and looking forward to what a new day brings to me.
So, exercising is easy once you get to it – but how do you get yourself to start? I was lucky with my friend – maybe you will too – but what if one of you does not find the friend who needs a squash partner? The challenge one needs to overcome is the INERTIA that prevents us from starting the exercise regime. Your mind will find a thousand reasons to defer exercising but guess what? There are a million reasons that will encourage you to start exercising! All you will need to do is to open this door and walk in. Here are some ideas that can help with breaking that inertia:
- START SMALL: Maybe 15 – 30 minutes per day and then slowly step it up. The goal is to reach about 45mins – 1 hour every day. This is the optimal exercise time.
- PICK A FRIEND or work out with your partner/spouse. This is a great motivator as it allows you to bond and spend that extra time with your near and dear ones.
- PICK A SPORT: Sometimes mundane exercising can be boring for some. Sport is a great alternative. Sports like Squash, Tennis, Swimming, Table Tennis or Football are great options – take your pick! Most cities have these sports facilities – all you have to do is google and enrol! Added benefit? You get to make new friends.
Apart from making you happy, exercising:
- Improves sleep quality, increases energy levels and reduces stress.
- Significantly reduces symptoms of mental illness, including depression and anxiety
- Helps maintain physical fitness and well-being
- Improves self-confidence
- Stimulates chemicals that improve your mood
- Improves memory and concentration by stimulating parts of the brain responsible for memory and learning
- Helps people recover from conditions of stroke and other illnesses
I really believe it is high time we change the popular saying to “Exercise a day keeps the doctor away”
What do you need to do to defeat stress and to enjoy life?
- Create and follow a schedule that makes time for exercise every day.
- Follow the schedule with passion, enthusiasm and discipline
- Ensure you consult your physician before you pick up a form of exercising – this will ensure complete assurance in your mind about safety and well-being
- Try and make exercise a group event – start with your family. It is just easier and more fun!
- Listen to your body ALWAYS! Don’t overdo – your body will signal you when you are done for the day. Stay aware.
So, start exercising now and experience how you start enjoying everything that life offers to you.
Till I see you with my next thoughts – Enjoy Life, Stay Healthy and Stress-Free