Sweat It Out

A wise neighbor who I always passed jogging in the neighborhood up through his 70’s explained why he does it. “My father gave me two words of advice: Keep moving.”

These days, it’s preaching to the choir to say that exercise is important. So many people I know of all generations are members of the gym or bike or jog or swim or do Pilates on a regular basis. They know the basic science of how exercise feeds the brain and the body and affects your mental health and mood as well.

So remember the negative thoughts accompanying me on my bike ride? By the 20^thmile, they were pouring out in my sweat and 10 miles later, I couldn’t remember what I was upset about. Of course, exercise doesn’t attend to the core issue that needs some kind of resolution, but it definitely helps loosen its grip on you and gives you the strength and mental clarity to deal with it. 

So if the deeper reflections of “let it go” and the enlarging activity of “meditation” are not helping you in whatever tangles you’re feeling ensnared in, get busy exercising and see what happens. My own preference is biking out in the real world, urban or rural, swimming in a lake or ocean if possible, hiking/ walking anywhere. But of course, if you like the gym, by all means. 

Happy workout!