By Kodwo BRUMPON
“The dawn does not come twice to wake a man.” – Yoruba proverb
We all want to be healthy, but very few of us strive to put in the effort. The bulk of us have been trapped by the sedentary lifestyle of modernity. Convenience has become our watchword and we are striving to minimize motion in all our activities.
On the surface, it seems brilliant. Except we forget that there are substances and stuff that the ‘convenience rule’ produces a detrimental effect when applied to them. Chief among them are our bodies, mind and souls.
You have only one body. To top it up, there are no spare parts for it and yet some among us do not see the need to maintain it. Convenience has made us too lazy to take care of our bodies. A surprising number of us do not realize that our bodies have to be exercised regularly to help it function at its optimum.
The word ‘exercise’ sounds more like punishment in our ears, than something that our bodily system requires and is actually good for us. Aside foods’, exercising is the next essential bodily requirement for the full and proper functioning of its systems.
When you do not exercise, you weaken your bodily functions. And it does not end there; your skills and abilities also become impaired. Remember the adage, ‘a sound mind in a sound body.’ You need to exercise and exercise regularly.
Carve out a time to exercise. Make it a habit. Schedule it into your calendar. Do it at least three times a week for about thirty minutes each time. You would become a lot healthier. And you would be surprised how much you would enjoy it.
Fortunately, exercising and the intent to exercise ranks among the top resolutions of each New Year. And so you would make an effort at it. Except it ranks amongst the ideals that many individuals fail sustain. And so be careful you do not give up on it. For starters, the object of exercising is not to make you lose weight.
It does help. It increases your metabolic rate and strengthens your bodily systems. But its objective is not to make you look like a super model. So don’t make that the objective. The objective is to help your body function well. And that alone can make you feel good about yourself. You would become confident about yourself.
And it is not only your body that needs exercising. You are a composition of mind, body and soul. Your mind and your soul also need to be exercised. What is the point of having a fully functional body when your intellectual capacity is functioning below capacity? And why should you leave your soul in the dark?
Make time to read something every day. And don’t just read, read interesting articles and exciting stories. Read about people who fascinate you. Read about the things that you want to do and read about how you can make yourself better.
The more you read, the more you stimulate the mind and the more you enjoy it. Also learn new things, new skills, and new hobbies. Periodically alternate the way you do stuff. These keep your mind sharp and make it easier to learn and grow. And you would be doing a great job of exercising your mind and having a good time.
The needs of the soul are spiritual. And so too are the exercises. The objective is to know God, to love Him and to serve Him. So on a daily basis, you have to read the scriptures, meditate, pray, sing praises and do charitable acts. These are exercises that would train the heart to tame. The process renews and purifies the mind.
It liberates you and helps you find purpose. This subdues your desires and inspires spirited actions that come from the very depths of your heart. This is what enables transformation. Exercising your soul helps your faith to become fully alive in your everyday interactions. Through that, people can see God in you.
Exercises and exercising would improve your quality of life. They should be a part of you now, not an afterthought. Remember, the habits you develop, stays with you throughout the length of your life. Therefore, make it a point to always exercise; your body, your mind and your soul. It is for your own good.
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Kodwo Brumpon is an executive coach at Polygon Oval, a forward-thinking Pan African management consultancy and social impact firm driven by data analytics, with a focus on understanding the extraordinary potential and needs of organisations and businesses to help them cultivate synergies, that catapults into their strategic growth, and certifies their sustainability.
Comments, suggestions, and requests for talks and training should be sent to him at [email protected]
