Remember Your Physical Wellness

I know it’s not for everyone, but I enjoy working out. Now, before you get the wrong idea, I’m not in the best of shape. It’s not like I’m a CrossFit model come to life or anything like that. I use the gym at my office, which only consists of an elliptical machine and something that would resemble a Bowflex. It’s nothing special, and neither are my workouts. But hitting that gym four or five times a week does as much for my mental health as it does for my physical health – if not more so.

I’ve written before about the Seven Dimensions of Wellness, and it’s something I strongly believe in. This week, I want to focus on Physical Wellness. Why? Because it’s important in many more ways than you think, and not enough people talk about those other aspects.

Yes, it’s cool to be in shape, to have washboard abs or to feel physically good about yourself. But there’s another advantage of exercising that people don’t always immediately think of – it frees your mind. When you’re pushing out that last rep on the bench, or sprinting to the finish of your run, what are you thinking about? Not much, right? You can’t. It’s hard to have something on your mind when you’re physically exerting yourself, because you’re pushing your body to its limit. When that part of you is so committed to succeeding, other parts of you (namely, your mind) don’t have as much time to dwell on things.

For me, that’s dwelling on negative things. I’ll tell you, it’s hard to think negatively when I’m working out. I don’t have time. My music is pumping, or my pep talks are blaring in my ears, and I’m focused. For one of the only times that day, my mind is totally at ease. I’m in tune with my body, with improving an aspect of myself, and everything else can wait. Everything else does wait. It’s incredible.

Now I’m not telling you to go on a long run tomorrow and everything will be better. But I would ask you to take five minutes today and think about your Physical Wellness. Are you doing what you can to improve that aspect of your health? I’ve found that whenever my physical health starts to deteriorate, my mental health isn’t far behind. Plus, there are other ways to take care of yourself physically. Yoga’s fun. Sports are great! Any attempt to exert yourself physically clears your mind, and can bring some peace of mind when it’s desperately needed.

So no, I don’t have washboard abs. I don’t have the body of a Greek god. But my workouts are vital to me being the best person I can be, so I take them as seriously as any other person out there. If you need someone to keep you motivated, let me know! We can lift each other up. Our mental health is so much more than what’s in our heads, and the sooner we realize that, the healthier we can become.