Really think deeply about what it is that you want and why you want that.
Do you truly want it because of an internal desire OR do you want it because society says you should want it?
Are you doing it to impress others?
Don’t waste your time fighting so hard to achieve a goal, look a certain way, do certain things, etc. only to realize that it shouldn’t have been a goal for you at all.
Do you really want that fancy car (and, the real question is, do you want that car for what it will actually cost you)? What is the opportunity cost of owning that? Do you want to be in the best shape of your life for you or to impress others? Why do you want to earn more? Is it so you can provide the best life for yourself and your family or is it so others can know “how successful” you are?
Make sure you are taking steps towards achieving your goals for you. Who cares what other people think? And take the time to make sure it’s the right goal, otherwise it’s like leaning your ladder up against a wall and climbing to the top only to realize that you have the ladder on the wrong wall. You’re moving to move at that point, but when you get to the top, you will be unfulfilled.
Discover your “why” and you’ll find your purpose and meaning in life.
Exercise is a preventative medicine. As is food and sleep…how you treat your body has a wholistic effect on the other aspects of your life.
When you feel good, you perform well. When you feel bad, you perform poorly.
Regularly exercising, eating well, and getting enough sleep are keys to feeling better about yourself. They give you confidence in how you look, they make you feel stronger, you’re less likely to get injured, and you’ll have more energy throughout the day. If you see other people when working out, it fills a relational gap that many people experience as well.
Everybody thinks of the physical benefits to your body when you work out and eat well, such as reducing your risk for developing type two diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and slowing down the aging process. But equally as important is how exercising and eating well can affect your attitude and mindset.
When you move with purpose, it does a couple of things for you. It releases endorphins, which make you feel good, and it gives you a sense of accomplishment, which also makes you feel good. Throw in the fact that those who exercise regularly are more resilient when facing challenges (they are used to doing something hard every day) and developing discipline (going/getting things done even when you don’t want to), which transfer over into your work life and personal life.
Fueling your body with the right nutrition is another key element to feeling good. Whether you’re trying to lose weight, get ready for beach season, or just want more energy/to feel healthier, having a diet that supports your body and your goals is important. Why sabotage yourself by fueling your body with ineffective “foods?”
The third physical element to feeling better is sleep. Sleeping helps to stave off colds, to let your mind think clearly, and to help your body recover from the workouts we mentioned above. You need a certain amount of sleep (quantity), but I feel that how much you get is less important than the quality that you get. I’d rather sleep straight through the night for 6 hours than have 8 hours of interrupted sleep all night. Naps are great, but not feasible for most (and this goes back to the quantity issue – naps should supplement your high quality sleep). Always go for quality over quantity.
Lastly, you need to support all three of these physical ways of improving your health by approaching each with a positive mindset. Your mind is so powerful and your body will often feel what your mind is telling it. So if you wake up and you think that you’re tired or sore, that you “hate” working out or that eating healthy “sucks,” all of it is affecting how you feel. You will be far less likely to continue eating correctly or exercising regularly if you have a negative attitude. And if you really do think that way, tell yourself otherwise. Lie to yourself until you feel good. Keep telling yourself how much you love working out, or that you enjoy the healthy food that is fueling your body, that you’re not tired. Don’t use excuses to fall back on bad habits. Exercise is medicine. So is nutrition. Use these to look, act, feel, and perform better. You won’t regret it.
Lastly, I’d like to leave you with a quote from Plato. He said, “Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it.” So, today, tomorrow, and most days for the rest of your life, go out and exercise, eat well, and get some sleep. You will be all the better for it.
“Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it.” – Plato
