Walking for Happiness

On Friday morning I crept out of the house at 06h20, so as not to wake the sleeping bodies who are on holiday. Apart from getting an early start to the day (in case it was the end of the world) I was off to the last session of Run/Walk for Life. At least I would be doing something that was making me feel good, if it all did come crashing around us!

I think that I may have become just the tiniest bit addicted to the walking. Recently, on the R/WFL program, I have been doing it more regularly and in a more structured way. Over the last three months or so it's become a firm habit and I find myself looking forward to it. I feel good, have more energy and am sleeping and eater better. 

It has been proven that exercise makes you feel good because it decreases the levels of stress hormones and increases the endorphins. Endorphins can be described as the body's feel-good chemicals, or I like to call it "happy juice". They block transmission of pain, and produce a feeling of euphoria, in the same way that a drug like morphine would.  Exercise and the effect of endorphins leaves you with a joyful feeling, elated and content. In other words, when you commit to exercise you are committing to feeling good. 

I can think of worse things that you could become addicted to.

Click here for the Top 10 Health Benefits of Walking. 

Lost Generation?

I came across this brilliant poem a little while ago. It was written by Jonathan Reed for a video competition where entrants had to describe their vision for their future. At first reading it is rather depressing:

Lost Generation by Jonathan Reed

I am part of a lost generation

and I refuse to believe that

I can change the world

I realize this may be a shock but

“Happiness comes from within.”

is a lie, and

“Money will make me happy.”

So in 30 years I will tell my children

they are not the most important thing in my life

My employer will know that

I have my priorities straight because

work

is more important than

family

I tell you this

Once upon a time

Families stayed together

but this will not be true in my era

This is a quick fix society

Experts tell me

30 years from now, I will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of my divorce

I do not concede that

I will live in a country of my own making

In the future

Environmental destruction will be the norm

No longer can it be said that

My peers and I care about this earth

It will be evident that

My generation is apathetic and lethargic

It is foolish to presume that

There is hope.

Now read it from the bottom up...and, voila!...a completely different perspective. Sometimes we just need to step out of the box and look at the situation from another angle. Tomorrow I am going to be running a workshop for a community youth project and I am going to read it to them. More of that later...