We all know we need to eat healthy food, exercise, stop smoking, get enough sleep, drink enough water blah blah blah - nothing new. But when was the last time you stopped to honestly ponder on this; and take a hard look at how your “health” habits are affecting your life, your progress, your relationships.
It is very easy to make excuses about why you can’t get in that run today (too tired?), or why you will only start your diet on Monday (but I have birthday cake today?). This is a very common part of our internal monologue. Many of us are conditioned to procrastinate on things; we avoid things that are too hard or out of the ordinary or uncomfortable or not part of a routine we have become used to.
Conditioned being the operative word, because, at the end of the day it really does come down to how and what we think. Once we get used to a certain way in which we think about things, we become conditioned to automatically think that way.
Movement is important not only for physical health, but on a physiological level, it contributes to mental and emotional health too.
Did you know that the human brain produces HAPPY hormones? The main ones include Endorphines, Dopamine, Oxytocin and Serotonin. And guess what?! The things we DECIDE to do have an impact on the release of these hormones. None of those things include waiting until Monday to start a diet, or putting off that yoga class until next week. On the contrary, in order to assist in the release of these feel-good hormones, the secret is quite simply to GET MOVING.
I don’t mean that you need to start with a 10 km run, or a 2-hour gym session. I am talking about taking the kids for a walk, throwing a ball to your dog in the yard, potting a plant, gentle stretching when you wake up, taking the stairs instead of the elevator. The trick is MAKING A DECISION and being CONSISTANT.
Challenge yourself to do one small, focussed activity a day: JUST MOVE. Any way you want and any way you can.
Why?
Because we thrive as human beings when we feel good, when we are happy, when we are less stressed. And after the last two years of lockdowns, uncertainty and living in survival mode, it has become obviously evident that mental & emotional health has really been negatively affected. Chaos Fatigue is real.
Physical fitness is important and movement helps with our physical health for sure. Just as important however, is our mental and emotional health. My bet is that you will notice a positive difference in clarity of mind and in emotion after doing an activity involving movement.
When it comes to our relationships and sex life; the fact is that you cannot pour from an empty cup. Improvements in your own mental, emotional and physical health will benefit your relationships, and lead to a healthier, happier sex life…and life in general.
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