Exercise + Meditation = Happiness

Hey, everyone. Alexandra here. Hope you're having a great day. So today is a video. Exercise plus meditation equals happiness. And this is huge. Meditation and exercise literally have, they're so simple, but they have the power to rewire our brain and release feel good hormones and just make us happy. A lot happier than we would be if we weren't doing it. So for me, the last week, ish, I've turned up my exercise and my meditation practice and literally it's like taking a happy pill. I was just feeling a little bit funky, a little bit deflated. My body was, I was had a crink in my neck and I was just, just not feeling all jazzy and sparkly. And I realized that I, although I was hiking and walking every single day and a lot of times carrying my son in a wrap, I had stopped doing strength training and yoga and dance. So I made a commitment to start doing those. And my awesome husband made a commitment that he would watch our little son and give me at least an hour every morning so that I could plug in and do my exercise and meditation practice. And I'm telling you, changed my world. And I am like, I've been an athlete for most of my life. Like exercise is such an important part of my life, but getting that heart rate up and really moving and shaking it out is so important. It's so important for me. And they've also done studies that in order for us to feel these feel good hormones and to literally change our brain chemistry, we need to get our heart rate up. So there's also Tal Ben Shahar, I believe is who said this, that not exercising is like taking a depressant. So if you want to be depressed, don't exercise. Pretty simple. If you want to be happy, exercise. So yes, that is the first part, exercise. So make sure that you are exercising, getting your heart rate up and meditation. I was meditating here and there, but meditating while I was holding my son or maybe breastfeeding, but it wasn't a conscious. Okay, I'm going to give myself at least 15 to 20 minutes to sink in, to relax, to give myself space. Space and shut out the outside world. And again, thanks to my husband giving me the space to do that so I can just tune in and I listen to the goddess blissitations and I'm loving it. I am loving tapping into that and I don't really. You don't realize how much those things replenish you and fill you up till you're not doing them and then you start doing them. So I'M jazzed. I'm very happy to have meditation and exercise be my number one thing that I do first thing in the morning when my husband gives me that time. So I think it's really important if we're committed to being happy, which I know all of you watching this are, is to get your exercise, get your heart rate up and take time. 5, 10, 15 minutes to meditate, to sink into yourself. And if you're not familiar with meditation, just sit there in a chair, whatever position feels great for you and breathe. Focus on your in breath and out, in and out. And of course your mind is going to wander, but just bring it back and relax. Relax your head, your shoulders, your chest, your belly, your back, your hips, your legs, and just sink into yourself and give yourself the space to not do anything. Just breathe and rest. And it's incredible. It's such an amazing recharge and reboot that you can do anywhere, anytime, and it will increase your happiness, I promise. Just sitting there, breathing changes your chemistry, changing your chemistry by breathing, you just feel good, you got oxygen flowing, you have relaxation flowing and life is good. So this week, exercise and meditate, give it a week. And if you're really feeling it, give it a month. Don't miss a day and continuously do it and check in and say, am I actually happier? I'm pretty sure that you were going to be happier doing it. I know, literally within two days I was like, oh my gosh, this is like taking a happy pill and it's free. Pretty exciting. So I know some of you are like, I know, but I just don't have time to do it. And if you don't have the time 15, 30 minutes to do these things, do it for two minutes. After this video, do 50 squats, 10 squats, and then sit there for a minute and meditate. Just do it throughout the day. Do. As long as you make it a priority. That's the key. Make it a priority that exercise and meditation are going to be part of your daily life. And then find the little pockets that you can do. Do these practices, you know, on your lunch break, five minutes of running up and down the stairs, maybe two or three times. Get your heart rate up, feel oxygen, you're gonna, it's going to, you're gonna feel that spark, that energy and that vitality. And then maybe meditate. Just breathe 10 deep breaths. Whenever you think about it, you don't need to have the 30, 60 minute chunks to do these. Do it in little, little bites and you'll be rejuvenated throughout your day and I promise it will make a difference and increase your happiness. So that's the idea for this week is to get your exercise and meditation on and I'd love to hear if it increases your happiness. Mojo and whatever else, whatever else you want to share with me would be fantastic. So that's it. I hope you have a great day. I hope that you actually move your booty, especially after this video. Try to do 50 squats, see what happens. 50 squats and 20 deep breaths and I promise you you're gonna feel better. I promise. Alright. Have a great week. Have an awesome day and sending you lots of love, Mojo and happiness.