If you’re looking for something to start feeling better about yourself, then this discipline is a must. It’s simple, but the effects are far reaching in your life. It doesn’t have to be complicated, and you can start small. This is all about building the discipline of daily physical exercise.
*Disclaimer: Please consult with your physician before starting any exercise program*
Why It’s Important:
We all understand the concept that building a habit of staying active is a healthy decision. I’m not a doctor, but it’s common knowledge that exercise is good for your health and longevity. I want to focus on some of the other benefits that can help change your life too though.
The term “exercise” is so broad, and there’s so much that can fall under it. This is perfect because it leaves a lot of options available, so you can choose something that you actually enjoy.
First, let’s cover a few options available.
Exercise Options:
- Weight lifting
- Yoga
- Calisthenics
- Hiking
- Rock climbing
- Martial arts
- Running
- Crossfit
- Recreational Sports (Look for leagues in your city – I.e. soccer, dodgeball, flag football, etc)
- Swimming
- Parkour
- Dance
- Pilates
- Walking
- Etc. (Don’t just limit yourself to this list, get creative)
Exercise According To Your Needs
We all have different fitness goals, so you can choose different options that cater to your preferences. Maybe you don’t care about getting into great shape, but still want to get active and reduce some stress/anxiety in your life; going for a walk can be a great solution then (try not to use your phone, so you can just enjoy the scenery and have time to collect your thoughts). Going for a walk in nature is still exercise, and can be a very nice way to decompress.
Or if you’re wanting to get stronger overall, then weight lifting can be a great route to take. If you’re not sure how to get started working out, you can check out my Top 11 Tips Here.
Or if you’re wanting to learn self defense, then training different martial arts may be what you’re looking for. You get the idea.
More intense forms of exercise can be a great way for getting out frustration and just overall boosting your confidence as you see yourself getting into shape.
Find something that fits your needs and is enjoyable, then it won’t even really feel like exercise. When your form of exercise turns into a hobby, then it’s a really fun way to get/stay in shape. You’ll start to feel better about yourself because you should inevitably grow as a person while pursuing these new ventures. You’re going to be learning new skills and finding new interests in life, so I feel that exercise is a terrific way to progress in personal development.
Just remember that even if you love it, you probably aren’t going to feel like doing it every single day. It’s still important to show up, and that’s where the benefit of building discipline comes in. The discipline of showing up and getting things done (even when you don’t feel like it) is such an invaluable skill that can help you in so many other aspects of your life. The habit of working out can be a perfect opportunity to teach yourself this.
You know yourself best, so look for choices that are most in line with your personality and future goals.
Personal Experience:
My personal goals are focused around being well balanced in all areas. Personally, I want to be able to do just about everything, like a jack of all trades. I may not be the strongest, the fastest, or the toughest, but I feel that I’m well balanced in each, which has helped build my confidence over the years.
I love weight lifting, calisthenics, and martial arts, and putting effort into these three things has been enough to meet the goals I’m after. I’ll usually try to incorporate other options as well, even though I may not be a huge fan (i.e. running). Again, I believe teaching yourself to do things that you don’t want to do (but you know will benefit you), is such an essential life skill.
At this stage, I’ve established the habit of daily exercise, so I actually look forward to it. I’m upset with myself if I miss a day or don’t push myself enough. By now, the idea of pushing myself to do things I don’t necessarily want to do (to build discipline) is enjoyable to me.
Working out daily has helped my mental health immensely too; it’s a perfect way to get out some repressed emotions through a complete physical exertion. I understand different gyms (especially martial arts) can be pretty expensive, so if it’s not financially feasible, then just watch videos online and practice at home.
Through consistency and discipline, it’s been exciting to see my confidence skyrocket as I’ve reached new goals years after year. I grew up the skinny kid that always felt behind everyone else. The years of small improvement and dedication helped me get accepted into a fire academy, which I never thought would have been a possibility growing up.
Perhaps vain, but I’d be lying to say it doesn’t feel good to have friends and strangers compliment your physical appearance and ability too. At the end of the day, working out benefits YOU, but you also become a more competent and capable person for the people around you as well.
Conclusion:
Again, this doesn’t need to be complicated; just find something that will keep you moving each day, and cater your form of exercise to your personal needs/wants. If you’ve always wanted to learn how to dance, start watching videos or taking classes on dancing. If you want to get faster, maybe consider a hybrid of weight lifting and sprinting. Try a bunch of different things out and see what you enjoy.
The goal is essentially to find a new hobby that can benefit your health. Working out, at least for me, has helped in both my physical and mental health. Don’t be afraid to try new things out, because you never know what you might enjoy.
Holding yourself accountable to a daily habit of exercise will also start to build discipline, which positively carries into other facets of your life too. If done safely, it’s hard to name a downside to starting to workout. Just to name a few benefits: getting in shape, improving your health, learning new skills, finding a new hobby, and maybe even meeting new friends out of it. It’s an excellent way to start changing your life for the better.