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Some of us more so than others.
I used to contemplate suicide regularly.
I felt like I had nothing in my life to work towards.
I felt hopeless.
However, this spark of desire for more was there. I was too hard-headed to quit on myself. I knew there was an opposite to the pain I was feeling.
I knew there was SOMETHING out there for me.
So I decided to actively search for it.
I started to search for SOMETHING to work towards.
It did not matter what it was, it just needed to be SOMETHING.
And that SOMETHING was one of the things I had some control over — my body.
This is where my life changed dramatically.
An active lifestyle was a foundational part of my journey in taking back my mental health.
It helped me fight against my depression, anxiety, and my suicidal thoughts.
Today, I use it as a preventative to manage stressors in my life: I never want to go back to who I was in the past.
Activity Brings About Meaning.
In this world today, we are more sedentary than ever before. According to a study done in 2018, over 44% of adults reported no moderate to vigorous physical activity.
Physical inactivity is not only correlated to physical health problems, but also mental health problems as well, like poor resilience to stress, depression, and anxiety.
And there is a correlation between sedentary behavior, mental health, and suicide risk.
In a world less sedentary than our ancestors, physical activity is more of a chore than a necessity.
In a country like the United States, many of us no longer have to move physically to survive or earn a living.
This is why it is so much more crucial today to get active.
The importance of physical activity goes beyond physical health.
A more active lifestyle is, in my opinion, an honorable or respectable goal for yourself in a multi-faceted way.
Many will look at exercise as vain… and some people pursue it SPECIFICALLY for vanity purposes.
But that’s such a one-dimensional look at improving your health.
I look at the pursuit of exercise as a ritual oradventureyou can embark on.
And this type of adventure is life-altering.
Pursuing physical goals that not only transform your body but your mental and spiritual self… that’s something life-altering.
It challenges you with goals you may find are worth fighting for.
Something like squatting or deadlifting hundreds of pounds.
Something like hitting a six-minute mile.
Something like mastering your discipline of Martial Arts.
These are honorable goals for yourself because they not only improve you physically, but they bring some meaning in the struggles we all live in today.
I talked about exercise and meaning in one of my more popular reads.
To some, this may sound like a stretch.
But for those who feel hopeless, who feel like there’s nothing for them: living a more active lifestyle is SOMETHING worth pursuing.
And it will evolve into something greater.
To my younger readers who struggle to build an identity… or struggle to find meaning in their life, exercise is such an honorable pursuit for yourself.
It saved me from taking my life.
As a result, my life has changed for the better.
All because exercise gave me hope in a world where I thought there was nothing for me.
And that hope was the catalyst I needed to change the trajectory of my entire life.
Aim at one thing to work towards.
That thing will continue to transform with time.
Where I started with exercise is not where I am now.
My preferences are different, but I never would’ve gotten here without starting small and building up.
Remember: exercise is a venture worth pursuing for the entirety of your being.
Please just do it, even if it’s 5 minutes every day.
It can potentially save you.
Until next time!
