Secret to happiness

I’ve been in a real funk lately. Part of it has to do with the fact that I haven’t had a good night’s sleep in weeks. I’ve never found it easy to be upbeat while sleep-deprived. I’m also twenty pounds overweight, I drink too much, have a new baby, am trying to get used to living in the sticks, am struggling with a lack of financial freedom that I had in Korea (making $50/hr gives you a lot of freedom), and… well, I suppose that’s enough.

But yesterday all of that changed. What’s the secret?

Exercise. I haven’t been exercising. Yesterday I ran 2.8 miles in thirty minutes, and I felt like a new person afterward. My clothes were drenched in sweat. I met the goal I had set for myself, not sure if I could, in fact, run that far, since it’s been months since I’ve had a good run. Before running I felt like a prisoner in a life I didn’t want. After running, I felt inspired, hopeful, and grateful for my life. I arrived home a different person, much to the surprise and elation of my poor wife who has to not only deal with a new baby, but a morose, complaining husband!

Exercise may be one of the most significant mood-altering “drugs” out there. The beauty of it is that it’s free, you don’t need a prescription, and it’s actually good for you.