I have done a lot of writing on mental activities; thinking and the power of positive thought. I am a huge fan of motivational speaking and inspiration and I love quotes. I am a voracious reader and often have 2-3 books at a time in various levels of completion. I love learning and get really excited about being invited to conferences.
But today I needed an intellectual break. I needed to recharge my mental faculties by spending some time doing some physical activity. A group of guys that I know put together an ice hockey team and we had a game tonight. Boy did I need it. It has been a long time since I spent the day excited and eagerly anticipating the drop of the puck.
I left earlier to the rink than I normally do just to make sure that I wasn’t late and was the first one on the ice. I had a lot of fun and played “ok” but the real benefits are those not found on the ice. There are five immediate benefits I recognized tonight.
1- First- Clearer thoughts. The game changed my focus from my business and all that I have going on at work and by taking that focus away I was able to gain clarity on some of my ideas.
2- Inspired– Nothing like a jog around the block or a quick hockey game to remind you of the great things life offers. When we sit in front of a computer daily we can find ourselves getting a little down. Increasing the heart rate and having fun always leaves me feeling inspired
3- Camaraderie– I do a lot of work on my own and spend a lot of time in the car or responding to emails. Even when I do get the chance to chat with somebody it usually revolves around work topics. Physical activity especially in a group setting or team sport gives you the opportunity to build bonds of friendship, even with competitors; it is a chance to laugh and joke and be friends
4- Smile– I am not a fitness professional and have very little knowledge about the human body and the internal benefits of exercise but I do know that when I exercise I feel better. It makes me happy. I think I read somewhere that exercise triggers some sort of internal bodily chemicals that act as natural drugs giving you a happy feeling. I definitely have experienced that. Win or lose I often come home from a game excited to share and positive in my outlook on life.
5- Relaxed– Probably because I am exhausted but I feel very relaxed right now. I admit today was not a relaxing day. In fact it was quite stressful. But as I sit down to record today’s thoughts I find that I am incredibly relaxed. I am sure that I will sleep very soundly tonight.
Well- we lost. We actually got beat pretty badly and we were out played. It wasn’t even a close game, except 0-0 when it began. We did some things right and did many things poorly but we all had fun. We all benefited from the physical exercise. And now as the team prepares for another day of work we will all be better able to excel and progress because of the power of the physical activity.
Question: What is you favorite stress relieving physical activity? Leave your comments below or by clicking here.