Exercise and Happiness

Everybody agrees that exercise is good for your health.  What most people don't realize is that exercise is good for your happiness.  Some believe that exercise has to happen at a gym.  I believe exercise is a goal you set that uses your body or your mind.

By opening up the definition of exercise, you don't have to feel bad because you're not in a gym every day.  By opening up the definition you can define exercise as you wish and be proud that you accomplished it.  Being proud that you accomplished something makes you happier.

Taking a walk on a sunny day is exercise, reading is exercise, doing fifty push-ups is exercise, blogging is exercise, Working out an hour a day is exercise, cleaning the house is exercise, Vegging out watching mindless TV is not exercising. However, watching something that enhances your knowledge is exercise.  These are just a few of my definition of exercise. 

The key is in feeling good that you set a goal and you accomplished that goal.  It's critical that you like yourself if you want to be a happy and positive energy person.  Accomplishing a goal will make you feel good about yourself.

Too many people feel upset with themselves because they don't take the time to exercise.  Much of that is because their definition of exercise is working out at a gym.  Some of that is because they don't feel good about themselves period.  The negative energy inside them enables them to blame everything for their plight.

"I'm not good enough because I don't exercise."  "I want to lose weight, but I don't have the time."  "I don't believe I have the desire to stay with a routine."  "What's the use - I am what I am."  Negative - Negative - Negative.

Do you have to exercise to be a positive energy person - NO!  Do you have to be thin to be a positive energy person - NO!  Do you have to be healthy to be a positive energy person - MAYBE!

Why Maybe?  In general, healthy people are happier than unhealthy people.  However, your health does not have to define your happiness.  I have spinal decease and I'm a happy positive energy person.  You can have cancer and still have a positive outlook on life.  The more positive you are the better chance you will beat it.  The more positive you are the more you will enjoy the life you have left.

Sooo, what am I saying here?  Find the time every day to exercise (my definition).  Take thirty minutes of your day and walk.  Appreciate the things you see while you walk.  Every day appreciate the thirty minute goal you set and accomplished it.  Do the same with mind exercise.  The bigger the exercise goal the bigger the appreciation.  The bigger the appreciation the happier you will be. 

Starting out with a huge unrealistic exercise goal does not work.  You will probably fail and then feel bad about yourself.  You won't have that sense of accomplishment.  Start with the lowest exercise goal you are sure you will accomplish.  Then, as you feel good about what you accomplished, you can create a higher goal and then a higher goal.  More accomplishment - more appreciation - more happiness.

Accomplishment leads to liking yourself.  Liking yourself leads to positive energy.  Positive energy leads to happiness.  Remember, the goal of my blogs is get people to realize that "Happiness is the Forgotten Ingredient to Life."  There are many things you can do to bring more happiness into your life - exercise is just one of them.

Read and reread my blogs to get other tools that will make you happy.