I would definitely not consider myself a person of fitness, or even someone who exercises. However, as it's summer now, I feel as if I should try and achieve a 'summer body'...................
What ever a 'summer body' actually is!?!?!?!?!
When anyone ever said that, I was always extremely confused and internally questioned what they meant. Did they mean just their body in general, their mental health. or even both? But I guess that it can mean whatever you want it to mean, and in the end it just relates to the aspect that you're trying to improve.
As we head towards summer and the holidays, I thought of becoming healthier (eg. exercising and eating better), not necessarily to lose weight but just to be healthier. Whilst I was trying to achieve this new me, I began to notice that I hadn't even thought about how to be healthier mentally. I was following great body fitness advice, and I was taking most of it on board, about how to make my body great, however, I wan't thinking about mental fitness.
I found that as I was working on the physical fitness aspect that after a while it felt useless or pointless. I seemed to be missing some other ingredient in the activity that tied it all together and making it all feel worthwhile. And that's when I finally realised what it was that I'd been missing the whole time, mental well-being.
This new discovery made me determined to think of ways to exercise mentally, making my activities become more productive. The number one factor that helped to make me feel better was atmosphere. The fact that it was summer, created a positive surrounding and having lighter evenings made me feel more productive.
The next thing that I thought about was trying hard to keep busy, no matter what I was doing. Just leaving the house every day can make you feel so much better, giving you a sense of purpose.
Finally, and a point that might seem pointless or not even worth mentioning, is making your bed as you get up in the morning, and getting changed - even if you've got no place to be.
It somehow made me feel ready for the day, and I don't know about you, but I could stay in bed all day and never move. Through this process of thinking about the "summer body", I began to realise that lounging around would leave me feeling unproductive, and a little gross. This small change was a small something to get me feeling better in myself.
Some of these things may not suit, or work, for, you, so a change it up a little and try to find that special place or thought process that works best for you.
The little things can help, and it's always better doing something rather than nothing.