by Safiyyah Boolay-Jappie
By now, this probably doesn’t need mentioning, but I am mentioning it anyway. Moving matters. As a natural stress reliever, moving matters for your body, your mind, heart and soul. It is one of those mysterious things. When we get moving, it’s a restorative experience for us ALL ROUND.
“Movement is the song of the Body”
We’re not calling it exercise and you don’t have to buy a load of Lycra and utterly thrash yourself – unless you’re into that. It turns out that any type of physical activity will combat stress, especially the types you enjoy most. So why not do something you actually like? You could even learn a new skill, like the tango. Imagine yourself at parties if you could tango! Think about the outfits!!!!
I simply love going for a long walk or doing yoga at home in my pj’s. I know myself well enough to know that any activity that requires special outfits are not going to fly with me. I would love to try my hand at boxing … but can I do it in my pj’s?
Maybe you have a physical hobby like furniture restoration that you have been fantasizing about? Maybe there is a garden you’re dying to create? Perhaps you’ve been putting off the chance to play with your kids? The possibilities are quite literally endless!
Know what works for you and what feels rewarding to you. Prioritise it and start slowly. I beg you! Start slowly. As little as 5 minutes can be a huge leap for you in experiencing the benefits of movement, leisure and restoration.
Your heart, body, mind, endurance and your productivity will thank you.
Safiyyah Boolay-Jappie is a life coach, based in South Africa. She helps high achieving, ambitious women to create impactful careers without sacrificing their well-being, themselves, their relationships, and quality of life. She helps women to beat burnout and to thrive. Having worked in the corporate world for 20 years, most of these in complex leadership roles whilst raising two children, she understands the demands being juggled by professional women, both in their professional and personal lives. Today, she wants to share those learnings with other women through her personal coaching and training.
More articles by Safiyyah
