Is your life in balance?

The more presentations I give and the more time I spend doing physical activity the more I realize just how much benefit physical health brings to the rest of your life. I have banged on before about the RED lifestyle (R for relaxation, E for exercise and D for diet) as being the basis for good health, including mental health. There are countless research studies which demonstrate how the mind reacts to the body and vice-versa (see anything, for example by Jon Kabat Zinn on psychosomatic illness) so it makes good sense that treating your body "like a temple" will stimulate the mind into giving its best performance.

It is not just about reaching a neutral status of fitness which allows you to feel good. I find that my best ideas come to me when out running or swimming. A bounty of creativity seems to well up when my body has gone into that automated state of motion, where the mind is literally free to wander in every direction. Other people say that physical activity is the best way to solve problem, as difficult decisions get easier when you are engaged in doing rather than sitting and thinking. Finally, physical activity is brilliant for alleviating stress, anxiety and depression. It is a question of finding the right activity for you. Some people love running, others prefer dancing or even skipping, It is worth thinking back to yourself as a child and remembering what you loved to do then, as it will often be the same type of activity. Letting yourself go into spontaneous child-like movement is not bad thing either. Next time you hear some music you like on the radio, dance round the house (reminiscent of Hugh Grant in Love actually!) - you will be amazed by how good it feels! Just let yourself go and see where it takes you.