The power is within me. I am strong enough to accept myself and for who I am, but also only I can make myself better. Starting from now, I will become the person I want to be. Positive, happy and healthy!

Last week I finally started following my New Year’s resolution – one with “exercise more”. I hit the gym and I hit it hard! I made a long pause from October till now because of some extracurricular activities. Since by default I don’t consider myself as a very active person (more of a couch potato, really!), that pause felt good for a little. But then, the holidays came and we all know that holidays are times of the year when we eat almost everything in our sight. I started feeling bloated and clumsy. But, for my lazy and inactive nature, it was unthinkable to activate myself again.

So, last week I said to myself: “Enough laying and lazing around! It feels awkward now, but as soon as you step into the gym, you will feel motivated again.” And it was exactly like that! I couldn’t wait to change and start working out! With every movement, every exercise and every weight lifted, I felt more energized, as if I was getting stronger by the minute. What a wonderful feeling!

Working out doesn’t only helps your body to feel and look better, but also your mind. If nothing else, it increases your self-confidence, but more often, the effects are much deeper than that. In today’s society majority of people have sedentary jobs, so we feel weak, both in body and mind. Feeling stressed and burned out is just some of the many signs that we are not taking care of ourselves properly.

To be happy, we need to have both a healthy body and mind. One without the other just won’t suffice. Let me paraphrase Buddhist teacher, Ajahn Brahm: “To have a healthy body, we need to exercise it, but to have a healthy mind, we need to quiet it down.” So, go out, walk, jog, run, swim, cycle, hit the gym… whatever. Get moving! But don’t forget to tend the garden of your mind and soul. They tend to speak quietly, so you will need to be very still to hear them. Stop controlling and let your body, mind and soul show you what they need. Meditate, soul search, get to know yourself, love yourself and be happy!