Last Updated on July 30, 2021
Whenever you find yourself swamped or overwhelmed with assignments, things-to-do, projects or perhaps you are feeling down because you’ve just quarreled with a loved one, going for a good workout can help to lift your mood and boost your confidence.
Such times you may be tempted to stay in bed and feel sorry for yourself- but sitting or sleeping over the problem would generally make you feel worse. This is because our mind may not be totally objective especially if there are emotional elements involved.
The best way to clear your mind is not by lying there with your eyes close but to drag your butt to the gym or the park for a good cardio workout, followed by relaxing stretching. And while you are exercising, try to clear your mind- don’t think of anything much and just focus on your breath or the workout itself. It’s difficult to plan if you are doing quick runs and you would need quite some undivided concentration to focus on the workout at hand. It is then easier for you to block out thoughts that are bothering you- and with the clarity of mind- from those oxygen boost and the temporary concentration, you will be able to think better.
I recently read an article that Roberta Gordon, a 62 year old woman cured herself of a debilitating depression by taking up cycling while training for a triathlon. Nope, it’s not a typo error- she’s really 62 years old. She and another 3 of her friends, aged 58, 61 and 70 respectively cycled more than 17000 kms around every state in Australia. Wow, these folks never let age become a barrier.
There are a number of times when I was not able to figure out solutions to some issues. When that happens, most of us may be either tempted to eat, sit and complain to others or just lie down and sleep over it. I’ve tried that and find that I am no closer to any solutions. But when I dragged myself to the gym and start working out, the oxygen surging through my body and into every corner of my muscles gave me clarity of mind. And with clarity, solutions and inspiration, even a lot of out-of-the-box ideas came. That explains why recently I’ve taken up running… an exercise that I’ve used to dread for years 🙂
So, the next time you are feeling down or out of sorts, don’t let the problem multiply and become out of hand. If
