Wonder Drug

What if there was a drug that could improve your mood, give you a brighter outlook, increase  your energy, make you feel beautiful,  help you sleep better, improve your skin, help with aches and pains, make you more patient, help you lose weight, make you more focused, provide inspiration, increase your strength, give you self confidence, improve your relationships and most importantly make you live longer? Oh and there are no side effects, except maybe some sore muscles.

Would you take it? How much would you pay for it? Would you work hard to earn access to this drug?

It sounds like a miracle, right?

My guess is that if there was something like this that was manufactured, it would be incredibly popular. I mean, who wouldn't want to be given a way to achieve all of the above benefits that I mentioned?

I'll bet a bunch of people would do whatever they could to access that wonder drug.

As I was sitting on my porch, soaking in the beauty of dusk in my neighborhood, cooling off post workout, it hit me, as it always does, how amazing I feel after a good workout.

I was thinking to myself...if only more people would just start. If they'd just try to get moving, how many lives would improve?

Depression runs deep in my family on both sides.  There is NOTHING worse then watching someone you love experience depression. It's such a helpless feeling.  I am happy to say I have never been sucked into a deep dark depression, and I feel very lucky for that. But I have had a taste of how things could become a slippery slope to that deep dark place.

I know this is an incredibly sensitive subject, and I know that there are MANY MANY different scenarios when it comes to depression. It is absolutely NOT a one size fits all issue with a one size fits all solution. I want you to know that I am NOT at ALL anti drug.

 I have gone through periods, mostly during times of hormonal imbalance or severe family stress, when I got a little taste of how it could spin out of control. It seems that it's a vicious cycle. Everything takes EXTREME effort. Getting out of bed seems like an impossible task. Getting showered and dressed would require more energy than I could muster...and the more you lay around, the harder it gets to break out of that cycle. And it seems that the one thing that might start to improve things, getting UP and OUT, sounds like the worst, most uncomfortable, most exhausting idea ever.

Luckily those bouts were short lived...but I could see, taste and feel how quickly they could snowball into something much deeper and darker... and I have a gut feeling that there are others out there that started where I did, and their situation DID snowball and they have no clue what to do now because they're in deep.

If only more people, experiencing depression or not, could dig in really deep and muster up the gumption to get moving, I think so many lives would be improved in insurmountable ways.

It is so baffling to me that I KNOW for a FACT that millions of people would shell out big bucks for a miracle drug when there is a FREE solution that only takes their decision and commitment to do it.

For those that are stagnant and never move their bodies, if they could just start small, and make a commitment to walk, outside in the world, just for 10 minutes a day, I think many would see huge changes in their well being. It's such a simple thing, but why is it SO hard for us to get that motivation and commit?

It's still hard for me some days, I won't lie to you. But now that I have been exercising on a regular basis for a little over a year, I can't imagine life without it. It has been my "miracle drug" and has provided me with all of the benefits I mentioned above. Well, the live long part is a bit hard to predict, but I will tell you that I'll be damned if I develop a preventable disease or illness...and you can bet your little buttons that I will be a strong and fit well into my old age because I won't have it any other way.

I wish I could start some kind of movement. A movement to move, haha! I just know, without a shadow of a doubt, that so many lives could be improved with a little bit of exercise.

If you're reading this, and you haven't moved your body lately, will you do yourself a big favor and go for a walk? Right now. Put down your device and get outside. It's ok if you look disheveled- you're gonna get sweaty anyhow. Go walk around your neighborhood. Hear the sounds of life. Breathe in the outside air. Notice the things you miss because you never go slow. Bring some of your favorite jams. (no not the shorts from the 90's) some tunes! Music is also so healing for the soul. Go for a 10-20 minute walk. That's enough for now. Then come home feeling accomplished, with flushed cheeks and pride that you did it!

If anyone really does this (I hope you do) will you let me know?  You'd make my day by making your own.