Getting out and Doing Something--A Paragraph a Day

Often when I get home after work, I feel tired and I want to do nothing but sit down and have a glass of wine or something.  I want to relax and recharge, and I don't want to do anything too active because I'm very tired.  Experience tells me, though, that that's exactly when I need to do something.  When I feel that way and I go for a run or a bike ride, or I start working on a project around the house, I feel more rejuvenated than I would have felt sitting down.  Using my body helps my body to kind of shift gears, to move into a different mode that actually feels very good to me, even though some minutes before I felt like any physical activity would have been too much.  It's nice to know this because now I'm able to tell myself, "No, I don't feel like going for a run, but I know from experience that it's going to feel good as soon as I start."  Far too often, we take the easy way out, and for me that would mean pouring the glass of wine and sitting down with a book or a computer.  But my body needs exercise just as much as it needs food, and my mind does much better when it's actively engaged in the world around me, so I'm glad that I'm able to overcome the feelings of tiredness and actually go out and exercise some.  Our bodies and minds can fool us and convince us to do things that aren't necessarily in the body's best interest, so it's good to be aware of their tendency to try to get us to take the easy way out rather than taking the most beneficial route.

Nice Walks--A Paragraph a Day

My wife and I seem to struggle to take walks sometimes, especially in the winter when it can be cold and unpleasant outside.  The interesting thing about walks, though, is that no matter what the weather, they turn out to be fine.  We have coats and umbrellas to keep us warm, and just the act of getting outside and getting some fresh air is a very positive thing to do.  Many times I've hesitated about taking walks because the weather seems too bad, but in the end, I've never regretted a single walk that I've taken.  They always help to lift me up and make me feel better.  I don't know why--perhaps it's the fresh air, or perhaps it's simply because I'm not in a room for a certain amount of time.  No matter what the reason, I know that outside of some extreme weather situations during which it's far too dangerous to be outdoors, I always want to at least step out of the door and start a walk.  My mind appreciates it, my body appreciates it, and my heart and spirit appreciate it.  Today we walked for two hours on a chilly winter day, and the two hours were beautiful--and we're both very glad we got out there.  Walking is exercise and meditation and mindfulness and relaxation all in one simple activity, and it also gives me appreciation simply for the fact that I'm able to walk when so many aren't.  I have to say that of all the things I hope I never have to give up, I would put walking way up high on that list.

http://livinglifefully.com/walking.htm