If the body isn't moving, the brain isn't either

 I went on a trip to Europe for two weeks. In that time, I walked a lot of 20,000-step (or more) days. To put this in perspective, an average day for me before this trip was less than 5000 steps. My health watch gave up on trying to figure out what I should or shouldn't be trying to achieve as a goal after three days.

Before my trip, I was having a difficult time at work. I struggled to think and string ideas together. I was concerned that, after 6 years, my life was limited. When we planned the trip, I genuinely expected to be worn out before the end of the first week, unable to keep up with the family. I surprised everyone, but I surprised myself as well. What I really found amazing was that I didn't get tired. I wasn't looking at my phone because I didn't have a SIM card there. No phone = no distraction. 

At night, or in the morning before leaving, I figured out what I needed to do with the WiFi. I kept my phone with me for photos and to look things up when and where I had access to WiFi. When I was out, I was free.

By the end of my time in Europe, I was energized. I felt exhausted by the long trip, but my brain had been stretched and fueled. I had the type of therapy I should have had so long ago.

After coming home and adjusting to my new work schedule, working more hours, longer hours, more clients, I did something for myself. I joined a gym and started going to exercise classes. Now, instead of feeling too tired to exercise after work, I feel ready. I want more. The exercise gets the heart pumping, which gets the oxygen flowing, which gets the brain working again. And it feels great.

I wish I had had more exercise to get everything going better BEFORE I started work way back at the beginning. If you can't exercise all day, AND do your personal care AND help out at home, then you SHOULDN'T be working. Let me be clear. When I say exercise, I don't mean a tough workout with an instructor yelling at you to go harder, faster, longer. I mean, moving all day, like walking, hiking, biking. 

If the body isn't moving, the brain isn't either. Think about it.

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