Thought of the Week

Exercise can be joyous! Any dreaded task can be joyous if you approach it with a playful attitude. Think back to when you were a child. Do you remember what if felt like to be playful? It feels happy, innocent, creative, free and lighthearted. Find the physical exercise that at least halfway appeals to you, whether it is cycling, swimming, hiking, aerobic dance, etc., and approach it with a playful attitude. With a playful attitude, you will look forward to experiencing the joy you derive from regular exercise. And you will not only experience joy, but also improved body composition, strength, cardiovascular conditioning, flexibility, stress reduction and self-esteem! Any dreaded task can be joyous—even exercising—when approached with a playful attitude!

Click HERE for a short, relaxing video clip to help you focus on joy.

Denna Shelton, cPT, inspries others in the field of health and fitness, focusing on wellness in body, mind and spirit. For more information, visit www.twentygems.com.

2 Comment(s)

Comment by angie929 on Jul 02, 2008 at 08:53pm

It can be joyous, it all depends on the mental approach that is taken. Sometimes it is hard to make it a down time activity it seems like a task. Maybe that is what it needs to be in the beginning.....a task

Comment by vikkihayward on Jul 03, 2008 at 05:18am

If you have kids you have an advantage, they are always willing to do something active. Play soccer, tennis, jump rope, bounch on a trampoline, swim, relay race. For me I always enjoyed jogging when I was thinner, this week I was actually able to jog for 12 minutes broken up in an hour fast walk. I think when you find an exercise that "fits you" you just feel it, it makes you feel good when you are doing it and you begin to crave it.