How often have you moved your body this week?
This email is all about ways to bring some Mental Sunshine into your life and brighten your days a little more.
This week’s tip is to move your body.
You might be reading this thinking, But John, I want some Mental Sunshine, not physical sunshine!
That’s a valid point…
Except that human brains live inside of human bodies.
They influence each other.
If you’re feeling a little grey and jaded, move your body about a bit… see if things improve.
After all, it’s unlikely to make things any worse is it!
These days it’s so easy to be really inactive.
Lots of us work at a desk and can easily sit for several hours, only moving to grab a snack or use the bathroom.
We might drive or catch a train home, and then spend a few more hours sitting on the sofa, bingeing the latest TV show.
We don’t even need to move to grab the remote these days; streaming services will automatically play the next episode.
And the next, and the next, and the next…
We might get up to make dinner – but it’s also really easy to pick up our phones and use an app to order something to be delivered straight to our door within half an hour.
Our bodies are not really designed for all of this sitting; our brains are not designed for it either!
This is not about suddenly joining a gym or signing up for a marathon.
I don’t even expect you to take up wild swimming in a freezing lake (though I can personally vouch for that as a brilliant way to get moving)
What I’m suggesting here is that you find a way to move a little more throughout your day.
Depending on how active you already are, that could mean taking the stairs instead of the lift.
Or taking a walk around the block in between meetings.
Walking the longer route home.
Trying out something like Geocaching can be a great way to get yourself out and about during your spare time.
You could even sign up for Park Run if you’re really keen.
Maybe turn it into a game with yourself – see how many different ways you can get more activity and movement into your day.
Getting your body moving, even briefly, can help to lift your mood.
Exercise releases endorphins and can help to relieve stress, so it’s a great thing to do after a hard day at work.
Whatever you do, try to make it fun rather than a chore.
Enjoy moving your body, knowing that with every step you’re improving your physical and mental health.
If you find a novel way of doing this, be sure to let me know!
