Feeling less motivated to exercise, meditate or engage in a new hobby especially after the past lockdowns?
It has been a difficult time for most of us due to the cause of the pandemic on our lives, our mental and physical health has been highly affected by it and now that our lives are slowly starting to get back to normal it’s time to look out for ways to take care of your main temple which is your body as well as your mind.
You may find yourself just like me struggling with anxiety, sleep disorder, depression, and inexplicable tiredness. From my own experience what has helped me a lot was starting my journey with practising yoga daily, starting from 5/10 min to then extending it to 30/45 after 8 months as well as starting a new blog/stories page where I openly share my point of view regarding some specific topics. As all gyms were closed and outdoor activity was limited to walking and running for me, it was important to start meditation mixed with physical activity that allows you to have core strength. YouTube was the main platform where a lot of resources were available to help you keep a healthy body and therefore mindset. You could find professionals teaching basic workout sessions, pilates, yoga, boxing, or any other type of sports activity you may practise already or be interested in starting. (A few names that come to my mind that have really helped me are: YogaWithBird, Jessica Richburg, Blogilates and Emi Wong) as well as basic painting lessons, pottery, beauty care or writing. I understand that finding the motivation may not come easy at first, but by allowing yourself and your body to slowly accept the idea of starting from somewhere and trying various options before finding the right one to commit to for a certain period will certainly improve your body and mind health gradually. Trying to go out to meet new people, joining societies, clubs or starting a new activity with your course mates is another great option to take especially now that we can as it allows you to take back an important quality denied during the past lockdowns which is socializing. Introducing small habits in your day to day life help affect small changes that will eventually change your life and perception of it for the better, such as: waking up early, avoiding using your phone as soon as you wake up, not skipping your meals, engaging in preparing your meals for the pleasure of your body, engage in any type of activity that will make you feel good during the day whether it’s watching a movie, reading, going to a park or calling your friend, avoid using the phone after a certain time as mobile phones and social media really have a negative impact on us by not allowing us to fully live our lives, and lastly journaling to keep track of your day and life progress.
Remember that we all start from somewhere and you should never feel ashamed of it as taking care of your body and mind is always a hard journey to take but definitely worth it.