Whenever I watch an athlete perform, I’m reminded of the incredible potential of the human body. Olympic medalist, Jackie Joyner-Kersee is said to be the best all-around female athlete in the world. Running the hurdles, she was a symbol of strength and grace, commanding her well-defined muscles to propel her body with the explosive power of a Ferrari on a race track. Of course, not every woman’s body is destined to be a Ferrari, but the least we could do is aim for a well-oiled, dependable and long lasting Honda.
Before work-out videos became popular, I can remember exercising on the living room rug with my mother when I was just a child. Perhaps that kick-started my life-long passion and desire for regular exercise. I used to run up and down steps to keep fit in my teens (well before stair machines); I started weight lifting in high school, taught aerobics in college, and I’m sure I was one of the first women to buy in-line skates in the early 80s.
It’s important to pick an exercise you love to do. I recently purchased a thirteen foot trampoline for exercise and play. (I’ve always wanted one my entire life, and since I was over forty, I figured I was finally old enough to have one!) As soon as start jumping, I start laughing and immediately forget that I’m actually doing a workout. And then there is dancing. I can’t remember a time in my life when I wasn’t dancing–from a child taking tap and jazz classes to a pre-teen dancing to seventies rock and roll music to a disco Queen in the eighties.. I revisited jazz classes as an adult for a while, but eventually settled on tribal dancing as my “thing”. Although I still do a regular routine of aerobic activity and weight training, it’s music and the primal beat of the drum that feeds my soul, making my body move in the most unusual and yet instinctively natural ways, and transporting me to a time of ritualistic ceremony and spiritual connection to Mother Earth. I even bought my own drum and often use it in meditation to quiet my mind, connecting the beat of my heart with the heart of the earth.
Exercise of all kinds should be an integral part of your everyday life, like brushing your teeth in the morning. Sure, there are times when you won’t be motivated to work-out or you’re sick or overscheduled, and you’ll fall off the wagon for a few days, but hopefully, you’ll start missing that euphoric feeling enough to want to start it up again. If you think of exercise as just a little extra movement you incorporate into your everyday life, it becomes easy to fit in–a power walk with your dog, a yoga class or a game of tag with the kids. Just like the car that runs better and lasts longer with proper maintenance, a Goddess must take care of her body. So, find your own dance and start dancing!
5 Ways to Get Physical:
o If you’re not disciplined to exercise on your own, do it with a girlfriend.
o Choose the kind of exercise you enjoy and make a habit of it.
o Don’t sit more than twenty minutes without getting up and moving.
o Try out a new active sport or class (yoga, tennis, or even tap dancing).
o Pay attention to your daily activities and do more of those that move your body.
Excerpted from the book: The Goddess of Happiness, A Down-to-Earth Guide for Heavenly Balance and Bliss
Debbie Gisonni, aka The Goddess of Happiness™, is an author (The Goddess of Happiness: A Down-to-Earth Guide for Heavenly Balance and Bliss and Vita’s Will: Real Life Lessons about Life Death & Moving On), speaker, happiness expert and columnist for iVillage.com. Contact: [http://www.goddessofhappiness.com]
