LiveWell Vermont

Are you finding working out to be a struggle? Check out these great reasons to fit that workout into your day! 1.) It will make you happier. Many studies have proven the connection between exercise and release of feel-good hormones in the body. Make time during your day to workout. Morning walks, lunch time jogs, hitting the gym or an evening bike ride are some of the many possibilities to get exercise in your day. 2.) It will make your life easier! When you're stronger and have endurance, you feel better doing everyday tasks. Training increases your capabilities. Every workout makes your body stronger and faster. 3.) Because you care about yourself, your family and friends! You want to be healthy so you can do the activities you love, right? These are great motivators to keep yourself in shape! 4.) Do it for you! Exercise can often be seen as a chore. Try changing your mindset with this. Exercise because you can, not because you have to.

Stress, work, and family responsibilities, and a similar routine day in and day out can lead to negative thinking and unhappiness. Finding ways to refocus on the positive can help you break this cycle. Keeping a gratitude journal is one of the best ways to retrain your thoughts to focus on the positives in your life. Here are some things to keep in mind when starting your own gratitude journal. 1.) Choose Your Journal What works best for you? Do you enjoy writing and find it helps you slow down and connect with what you’re feeling? Is typing your preferred method of getting thoughts down quickly? Decide what format fits your needs best. You may also want to decorate your journal in ways that remind you of your purpose or help you feel more positive.   For example: attach or paste photos that make you happy on the cover or random pages, draw pictures that depict positive feelings about the things you’re grateful for, write inspirational quotes in the margins, and not...