One thing I realized when I was researching ways to improve my life and the effects I had on the environment, is that if the man in charge isn’t working as a well-oiled machine, there is nothing I can do to help those around me from my disappointing state of being. So I shifted my focus to making myself fit first, before helping anyone else. I’ve had New Year’s Resolutions before so I was accustomed to the Gym January or the Fasting February, but right now I needed a serious program that could keep me in check and get me in shape for whatever plan I had to transform my life into an eco-friendly paradise. So I went to a nutritionist and I got the facts on my body: my mass, what regime I needed in order to achieve my recommended weight and what changes I had to do in my routine.
Sleep and water were a priority as I was scarcely “sacrificing” time for these two priorities. I also needed to cut back on my laziness and start working out or do some sort of physical activity – this is when I started cycling again. Once I had my food and gym regime set, I needed to focus on ways I could keep at it and never lose track of my health requirements again. So I downloaded a health app and started tracking my calorie intake, the glasses of water I drank and my sleep schedule. Amusingly, this app was more addictive than any game I played on my phone, and instead of leveling up I started to focus on maintaining a winning streak by never breaking the lower limit of my necessities. I started exercising more and eating more, because balance was key. I started diversifying my activities – from cycling using the best folding bike to gym to dancing – it was all considered physical effort and it made me feel better. It turned out that my app also had a setting to register the physical movement I did when playing my Wii, so I started calling friends over more in order to play various games on it.
I realized it was not a matter of effort or strictness. I just had to make a game out of it – set goals that I wanted to conquer. It was just another challenge that I had to overcome – but by doing so I had fun and I improved my overall health. I also noticed that by regulating my sleep and food regime, I was in a better mood (no wonder due to the endorphins that came from my physical activities) and consequently I was engaging more with the people I encountered. It was like a ripple effect: the better I felt, the better I behaved and my actions were overall more benefic to everyone. I know it’s a cliché, but it turns out that change really does start from within. All it takes is to find that little switch that makes all the difference in the world.
