Ohmigosh. What?

If you’d told me this when I was twenty five, I might have skipped out on a whole period of depression. If you’d told me this when I was thirty two, I might have skipped a whole other period of depression. (Heck, where was this series when I needed it?) Now that I’m old and practically dead (ie. I’m over forty) I finally get it. Exercise does make me happier.

Seriously. Happiness doesn’t just get made in your mind and emotions. It gets made in your body as well, because our minds and our emotions are dependent in a big way on what is happening in our bodies. It’s all one system that works together.

Our bodies were made to move – a lot – and when they sit and slouch around and watch a whole stack of TV, they don’t produce endorphins which are like little ‘happy drugs’ for your brain. Look up the science if you like that stuff. There are plenty of books and articles that can tell you all about it. All I’m going to say (not being a science person) is this: if you run/walk/jump/dance/swim/ whatever, you feel awesome.

It also helps you think better, it makes you better at what you do and it improves learning. Of course, being smarter doesn’t automatically make you happier (which is what we’re aiming for in this journal) but it can help get you on the path.

Exercise also relieves stress, and stress is definitely something that makes you unhappy, so relieving it is another step to being happier.

Exercise makes you happier. But are you willing to try it out?

How much exercise do you do every day?

What’s your favourite kind of exercise?

What’s your least favourite? And what would you choose if you could pick anything to take part in?

Think of a person you know who plays sport. Ask them how they feel when they play sport. Write down their answer.

When you go and do exercise think about how you feel then write it down.

Action: Get your shoes on. And go for a walk. Right now.

Want more on how to be happy? Check out the rest of Cecily Paterson's How To Be Happy blog series for more tips and advice.

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