Bridging to Wellness

Working out changes the structure of your life. Think back to your childhood when you enjoyed going outside every day to ride a bike, jump rope, play tag, go swimming, or dance. I am quite sure you have some type of favorite exercise or activity. My favorite activity was jump roping. I became very skilled at it, and it’s one of many things that I still incorporate in my exercise routines.

Now for you, it may be something different. You can start with activities, locations, and times you enjoy. For example, you might like early morning walks alone on the track or in the neighborhood; others might prefer indoor or online group classes. I am a loner when it comes to exercising. I like to get in, do what I need to do, and get out.

We all know why we should exercise but maybe we don’t know-how. As a physical education major, I know it’s recommended that adults get 150 minutes of physical activity a week. But even just doing an exercise or activity you enjoy for about 10-15 minutes a day could be the first step you take to becoming active. Many things come to mind when you’re consistently working out.

During those few minutes, your mind should be thinking about how you will pass that test, graduate, be admitted to graduate school, or on any other goals that you would like to accomplish. During my first year in graduate school, I was not involved, nor did I have a graduate assistantship. Working out motivated me to become a better student. I applied for 9 graduate assistantship and was rejected by 8 of those nine. It was like telling me I am not good enough. I kept exercising to feel some type of motivation to remove those mental blocks. Soon I became a volunteer graduate assistant for the women’s basketball team which led me to another opportunity by becoming a graduate assistant for our campus recreation facility. I say that to say this; if you believe in yourself and work hard, the more likely you are to meet those goals.

Be realistic about the goals you set as you begin to start a daily exercise routine. Figure out what day or time you can exercise for a few minutes. Start slowly and work your way up to more physically challenging activities. For instance, you can begin to walk twice a day for 15 minutes. If your activity lasts at least 10 minutes, it counts as exercise... If you have the motivation to workout, you’ll likely have the motivation to do other things. Mind over matter. You can do this!

By Londyn Thomas - Londyn is a graduate student in the Physical Education program and a graduate assistant in the Division of Student Affairs at the University of Southern Mississippi. She also serves as a volunteer GA for the Southern Miss Women’s Basketball program.