Blog /Just Do It

We’re here in sunny Florida at the Alternatives conference, and we are all here to talk about mental health. Oftentimes, mental health and physical health are thought of as two completely different entities. However, more and more people are recognizing the link between the two—without sound physical health, it’s difficult to be well mentally and vice versa. David Richardson and Jennifer Padron presented a workshop entitled “Exercising Your Way to Wellness” this morning. I left feeling more motivated and ready to take hold of my physical and mental wellness by committing to fitting more exercise into my life.

One thing that really hit home for me that David mentioned was: There is no try. Just do.

One of the few fights I have ever had with my mom was when I was preparing for a geometry exam in the seventh grade. I incessantly whined that there was absolutely no way that I could memorize the massive amount of information given to me in the allotted time. My mom insisted that I needed a “can-do attitude.” I admit, begrudgingly, that I work to uphold the “can-do attitude”—I always aim to be positive and do my best in any given situation. However, I believe David’s statement makes it so that I am that much more accountable for my actions. When I try to add exercise to my daily routine, I give myself an excuse to sit on the couch with a bag of chips instead. I mean, I tried to workout, right? There are no excuses when you decide to DO something instead of just TRY to do it.

Moving forward, I am not going to try to fit working out into my daily and weekly routine, I WILL. I will take my dog on extra long walks, and I will take ballet classes three times a week. Hey, you might even see me doing a few leg-lifts at work. And if making sure I feel good mentally and physically means that I am going to sleep a half hour later or spend a little less time in front of the tv, then so be it. I know that I deserve to feel my best—we all do—and with this pep-talk from David and Jennifer, I’m ready to hit the gym.