The Exercising Artist

How important is it for an artist to get regular exercise?

I got up this AM feeling a bit overwhelmed and sluggish. It's no secret if you regularly read this blog, or even if you happen to know me personally, that I have a lot on my plate. I'm not whining about it - it's just a fact of my existence. And I don't think I'm anything special when it comes to the degree of busyness - everyone I know is stretched to the limit.

Several years ago I made the commitment to myself to take care of myself. One of the things necessary in doing this is to get regular exercise. I walk almost every day, and the benefits are many. The first and most obvious reason is the physical benefit. Walking is the most natural movement of the human body - simply put, we were designed to walk. As we walk, our heart rate increases and blood is pumped through the veins and arteries. This "stretches" them a bit, and helps to break up plaque that can form on the artery walls. Walking increases blood flow to the brain - which leads me to the next benefit - greater mental acuity. As I said, I woke up a bit sluggish. But when I took my walk, my whole attitude changed in the space of about 10 minutes. I became more aware, and started thinking positively and creatively. Here's a picture I took while on my walk. I'm fortunate that I live in a somewhat rural setting, and some of our property has lots of trees. We had a refreshing rain last night - here is a pine branch still wet.

Now, that should inspire you to go for a walk. You never know what beauty is there, waiting for you to find it.