Exercise, and relating it to wider life Philosophy

I think generally, exercise is over-rated. It has its benefits, but too many people feel a pressure to do it like they 'should'. When people feel like they should do something rather than actually wanting to it's usually a bad sign.

Some people will try and tell you you need to do a prescribed amount of exercise each week in order to be healthy, I don't believe this. I think it's generally beneficial to be active, such as walking about and getting fresh air regularly, but a lot of advice seems to go too far. You don't need to go to a gym, or run and play sport all the time. If you enjoy it then fine do it, but if not why would you?

Life is about doing what you enjoy and what's right for YOU, not doing things based on others opinions or ideals. Get in touch with your soul - the inner energy of your body; that will always give you the answer.

My experience with more strenuous exercise is after the initial endorphins I feel more tired than I did. I've tried to get into the habit of regular exercise on a few occasions and it's never stuck, because I don't feel any better for it (I feel worse). I don't think it's a case of if I stuck with it for longer I'd feel better. I might be fitter, but my gut feeling is - why am I doing this? So while some might see it as giving up or a failure, I see it as a realisation it's not for me. I'm sure it's not for a lot of people really. It's a good example of how what many call failure is actually the right decision to move away from something.

Everyone is different, there's not a one size fits all policy for life. This is the same with careers, relationships, where you live... you name it. It's not about perceived ideals, it's about the whole picture and what's right for YOU. People are afraid of being perceived as boring, but sometimes happiness comes with simplicity and appreciating the small things more.

So maybe if you think you should be doing more with your life you should try some new things and see how it goes. It's good to mix things up. But there's nothing wrong with simplicity and routine. If you're too busy chasing dreams and wild ideas, you risk missing the beauty that is in front of you right now. Life is always now, that's all there is - so make sure you live in life rather than in fantasy.