Keeping up with my workout schedule gets harder and harder during the cold season. Snow boots on today and full winter here in Bucharest. When I need a motivational speech to get out of the house for swimming I remind myself that I am doing this for my physical health and for my looks, but nothing gets me out of the house faster than remembering that my main reason to do this is my MENTAL HEALTH. When I am unwell I know I can allow myself to do whatever I feel like doing, except skipping workout. Not doing physical movement ends in depression, anxiety, pessimism, low energy level and sickness for me.
As a musician, there’s not a lot of physical activities that I do: I mostly make use of my thoughts and emotions. I have a very active mind and tend to think a lot so, moving the energy from my brain to my whole body is what I most need. I’ve tried different types of physical activities, from yoga to jogging, fitness and aerobic and found out that cardio workouts are the best for me. However, two years ago I started having lower back pain and had to find an alternative to my usual workouts, in order to protect my spine. I just knew that, even though I am not a fan of sports, quitting any physical activity was not an option for me. Therefore, I started swimming: full cardio body workout PLUS it protects your back (besides some yoga postures, I can’t think of another sport which is gentile with such problems).
Swimming has become therapy for me. I love the feeling of floating in the water, letting go, following the flow and exploring. I feel supported by the universe and I can allow myself to release tension and just slide through the water. Plus, the calming hot shower afterwards just washes the trouble away. I’ve come to see this as a self-care ritual, and, instead of hurrying through it in order to leave faster, I am taking my time, tuning into my physical senses and enjoying every moment of it. For me swimming is different from other workouts that I’ve tried: when I am there, I actually enjoy it and I don’t feel any physical pain while doing it, which I also think is very important. Sports often become just one extra punishment that we give to ourselves.
However, most of the times I need to motivate myself to get out of the house, and the only thing that really convinces me is that this is one of the very few instruments for wellbeing that always works for me. When I try to skip it in order to do something else which is “very urgent” I remind myself that, on a long-term, nothing is more urgent than having a healthy state of mind and that, achieving this will help me accomplish much more of the “very urgent” tasks that I have.
Today’s motivational video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bfh86dZyeso
What are your tips for keeping a healthy mental state? What is the one thing you NEED to do, no matter how bad you feel?
*This blog is intended to bring support to all of those struggling with the issues discussed. Please share in a comment! Together we learn & grow! ❤
Motivated Musician 