Falling in love with yourself and exercise
By: Shannon Donovan
Tags: Motivation, Blog, Exercise, Fitness, Self Improvement

Self love is a journey. It is something that many people struggle to find within themselves. And for some, it takes time to progress and realise how valuable and worthy life truly is on this earth. However with the right mentality and a better perspective, you will realise it is not as difficult as you may think.

Here are some insightful thoughts to consider when you next go to approach a situation with a lack of self care…

Don’t say ‘yes’ to others if that means you say ‘no’ to yourself

When you care deeply for others and want the best for them, sometimes you go above and beyond to give them that. And sometimes in doing so, you alter your own happiness and it may start to have an effect on yourself. As much as being selfless is an unbelievably beautiful trait to have, it must be reflected in moderation so that it doesn’t break you down emotionally. The true people in your life will acknowledge and appreciate your kindness but they won’t expect you to be available 24/7. This means that when you feel like you need to do everything for another, especially when you are gaining no benefits from it, this is a true sign that it is time to focus a little bit more on yourself and your own gains in life.

Aspire not to have more but to be more

The most important thing when it comes to yourself is feeling good from within. Internal happiness can be just as rewarding as external. We are made to believe that we must look a certain way and that should not be the goal of your life. What makes you a better person? How can you feel good about what you are achieving in your life whether that’s in a career or a hobby or personal family values and circumstances. Being a better person at everything you do can have a very big impact on your well being positively. It is time to look at what we can be rather than what we have because circumstantial situations are sometimes not in our hands. This will make you start to view yourself and your life in a much more positive and enlightening way.

Baby steps are still steps in the right direction

Everyone starts somewhere and so it is not about where you are at present. It is about where you want to be and what effort you will put in to get there. Commitment and passion are super important and in finding these, you will ultimately find self love.

So where to start?

When considering ways in which you can start your self love journey, I tend to find that many turn to exercise to help them. This has personally helped me and many others and so considering this route would definitely be appropriate.

Benefits of exercise

Many people are not fully aware of the positives and benefits that exercise can bring. Here are just a few ways in which exercise is impactful:

It releases endorphins meaning you feel less stressed and a lot more happier

It encourages elements to social interaction and this feeling of community particularly online through forums, pages and social media channels where you can relate to others

You start to spend a lot of time independently on your own and gain the courage and confidence to do things without relying on others which I think is a really important part of growth throughout your life

Different types of exercise

Aerobic Exercises

What is it?

Any physical activity that makes you sweat, causes you to breathe harder, and gets your heart beating faster than at rest.

This includes walking, cycling, running, swimming, fitness classes and so on.

This is not for everyone but it gets you moving and can help you take your mind off any unnecessary thoughts or unwanted feelings about how you are feeling within yourself which is the key to self love.

Strengthening Exercises

What is it?

Any movement that works the muscles as they move against resistance.

This resistance can be from exercise machines, free weights, elastic bands and even your own bodyweight. You tend to find this kind of exercise occurs in a gym environment.

I find that this type of exercise is very competitive and you find yourself wanting to improve your ability and strength each time you perform a movement. Not only is this healthy competition with yourself and others but also a way to set goals and feel ambitious in this element of your life, allowing you to feel motivated and committed to something.

Flexibility Exercises

What is it?

This is a much calmer form of exercise that puts less strain on your muscles. This can be any exercise that helps the joints and tendons become more flexible over time.

Most flexibility exercises are stretching movements whether that is through yoga or Tai Chi. What is good about this type of exercise is that you only need floor space to perform the movements and it can be done pretty much anywhere, even within the comforts of your own home.

Conclusion

Self love is so important in finding true happiness within your life. And many resort to exercise as a way of releasing any stress or anxiety they feel building up inside.

However it is also good to note that exercise is not always the best option for everyone and that is okay. There are alternative options to giving your body some self care. Some of these include assigning yourself a pamper night each week alone or with a friend, reading a book that makes you happy or even returning to interests that you do not have time for and putting them into your weekly schedule again to break up the monotonous cycle of the day to day working life.