Now I have talked about physiology before on a number of occasions and the impact that it has on your current state or mood. Well there is a good reason why I bang on about it so much. It makes sense for starters. You see behaviour can impact on your feelings or emotions. If you behave in a particular way, you are likely to feel a particular way as a result. Now it is pretty damn hard catching out the behaviour that is driven by the little voices doing somersaults inside your head. But all is not lost, because you can definitely consciously change your physical behaviour (or physiology) at any moment.

So there IS something that you can do.

So have a look at the two pictures above. In one of them I have my head down barely looking more than a few paces in front of me. In which one of them do you think I was feeling more vitalised, energised and (happy)? It is completely obvious. And it is very simple. All it requires is the use of a few of the muscles in your back, neck, chest and shoulders. And by walking upright, with my eyes facing up (not down) I actually feel better. This is a result of the body’s ability to breathe more fully (drawing in more oxygen), allowing energy to move more freely up and down your spine and your eyes being able to look out on a bigger and brighter future.

I recall reading something years ago that essentially said that people in big cities with buildings all around them are likely to feel adversely affected by this environment. The ability to see a greater distance in front of you actually is a great metaphor for life. If you can see further in front of yourself then you are less likely to be ambushed in life (going back to my military roots there with talk about ambushes). The other point is that looking down at the ground or only a short way in front of you gives you a relatively small piece of the world to interact with, but if you can look out over the horizon, you have a much bigger world to play with. That is why it is so rejuvenating looking out over the ocean or sea. You get to look way out in front of you, dreaming up a big future and letting your eyes feast on a much greater piece of your world.

Sorry to go all philosophical on you. But the point is very simple. If you spend your time looking down as you walk, you will be far less happy and energised than if you look up ahead, with your shoulders pulled back, head up, chest open and walking with a spring in your step.

So next time you are feeling a little crap, change your physiology. Get up and go for a walk. Move your body. Look up to a brighter future and fully energise your body!!! And thus endeth a very simple, but amazingly powerful, lesson.

Keep it real.
Carl

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