When the economy goes south it brings a lot of us with it, and in many different ways. Obviously, everybody gets hit financially to some degree, some worse than others. This causes stress, anxiety and depression. When people get overwhelmed with stress, it destroys their motivation to do things that are good for them, like exercise. Stress, anxiety, and depression suck the life out of a person. They rob you of positive energy and fill the mind with negativity and fear. But, like everything else in life there is a fix.
In my experience, it is impossible to have a healthy mind without having a healthy body. I can look back at any point in my life when I went through an extended period of stress, anxiety, or depression, and in each case I was not eating right, I was not exercising right, and I was drinking too much
My point is this. There are certain things in life you have control over. What you eat and how you take care of yourself is one of the things you have control over (Ok, that's two things). The economy is something you don't have control over. Getting stressed and anxious over things you don't have control over is pointless. Easy to say, I know. But I also know this, when I am feeling physically strong and fit it has a positive affect on everything in my life. When I push myself to the limit on a regular basis and challenge myself both physically and mentally it makes me a stronger person. When I achieve things that I was unsure I'd ever be able to do, it sets me up for success the next time I'm presented with a challenge. It gives me confidence and a positive outlook. I have incredible energy to deal with anything. Think about it, I lost my high paying tech job and started a non-traditional gym in the worst economy since The Great Depression. When you come into the gym, or read my blog do you sense despair or anxiety? Of course not. Is it because I'm crazy (Hmmm, maybe that's why Alison and Danielle call it "the Crazy Gym")? No, it's because I'm in a really good place physically and mentally, and I am completely confident that I'm going to be successful. And I'm not talking about results measured in dollar signs. My success is validated by the results and attitudes of the people that are coming to the gym. Somebody said to me yesterday, "I felt like I was a kid playing at the playground, it's so much fun working out at your gym it's like entertainment!". The gym is filled with positive energy, people challenging themselves, supporting each other, having fun while getting in the best shape of their lives. For many, this is the best part of their day.
So if the economy is getting you down, then you have to do whatever it takes to get your head in a positive place. That's going to start with taking really good care of yourself. The economy is cyclical, your fitness and attitude doesn't have to be. Your well-being is not a "non-essential" that can be put on the back burner until things turn around. Come down to Dynamic Strength and Conditioning and start challenging yourself at a higher level than you ever have before and realize the positive changes it will make in your attitude, energy, and well-being. Most things you can put a price on, your health isn't one of them.
For today, I'm going to keep my body tuned up with a playground workout in the gym. A playground workout is the type of stuff that makes you feel like a kid again. These kinds of workouts always keep a smile on my face:
20 minutes jump rope
20 minutes of hand balancing
Work on the Monkey Bars
Rope Climbs
All the best,
kevin
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