Summary

The article advocates for channeling mental restlessness into physical activity to maintain a harmonious mind-body connection.

Abstract

The author emphasizes the importance of staying active to satisfy the body's natural need for movement, drawing from personal experience as a fitness enthusiast. They suggest that even simple actions like walking can serve as an outlet for an active mind, leading to a more balanced lifestyle. The article also touches on the interplay between mental and physical states, noting that an active mind often manifests in physical restlessness, which can be constructively managed through consistent activity. The author shares anecdotes about their own behavior during virtual calls and presentations, highlighting the natural tendency to move and how it can be misinterpreted by others. Ultimately, the piece encourages readers to embrace restlessness as a prompt for healthy actions rather than a source of discomfort.

Opinions

The author believes in the inherent design of the human body for movement and advocates for regular physical activity.
They hold the view that the mind and body are interconnected, and that mental activity will naturally lead to physical expression.
The author suggests that restlessness should be seen as a signal to engage in activity rather than a negative state to be suppressed.
They express that even short bouts of activity, like a 30-minute walk, can be beneficial and need not be seen as a chore.
The author shares a personal insight that their fitness habits have become integrated into all aspects of life, including work and social interactions.
They acknowledge that others might find their constant movement during virtual calls unusual but clarify that it's a byproduct of their commitment to staying active.
The author reveals a personal challenge in needing to adjust their behavior around their father, who prefers a slower pace of conversation.
They conclude by normalizing the desire to move, especially during sedentary activities like video calls, and by celebrating the beauty of movement.

Feed Restlessness in the Mind With Action

Your subconscious is poised for activity. Help it!

Photo by Trust “Tru” Katsande on Unsplash

“Human body is designed to move” — whoever evangelised this thought, I love that beast. Interestingly, I’m doing a night walk in my neighbourhood as I’m editing this blog right now.

Change your perspective on restlessness

I realised the application of the above quote when I became a fitness freak.

After starting my physical activity streak on July 13 2019 ( anniversary is over dear, you missed it ), if I skip exercise for even one day, my subconscious helps me stay consistent. It tells me to do at least one hour walk to cover up for some physical activity.

One hour seems long? Okay then, 30 minutes sounds doable. Just a mindful walk after dinner fulfils the quota. It is not restlessness anymore. It means staying active when needed.

Mind and body: You can’t make them incoherent.

If you’re calm, you’ll rest. If your mind is active, it will eventually show in your actions too! Otherwise, why would a human have a brain, hahaha!

The same happened in my job also. Before prioritising health, my lifestyle started sedentary for the most part.

For example, if I’m alive in a presentation, I’ll spark some interesting questions. If I am bored with the slides, I’ll probably venture to the washroom every 30 minutes, depending on my boss’s reaction every time I leave the room.

These little things matter, you know! The little thing is the subtle behaviour of my coworkers when I go outside of the room, not the private thing I take with me.

Feed the restlessness with some activity

What is the most common way to interact with any person right now? Virtual calls, right!

Want to make it more inclusive? Add video calls. Now you have a healthy exchange of expressions. One comment I receive a lot is this, “Hey, why you always keep moving on camera. Stay put at one place, na!”.

I feel embarrassed, and eventually, I do sit down to talk. But it’s not like I am ignoring the conversation. I love talking to people. It is just the fitness muscles that show this attitude in every walk of life.

Plus, if you are an extrovert, it will show in your conversations too. Walk and talk is my life nowadays except with dad. With him, I need to speak slowly. Otherwise, he loses patience and never listens to me.

You want to hear something weird? I’ve mentioned it earlier also. I am doing “walk and write”, right now with street lights.

Final words

Restlessness used to bum me out a lot until I found a way to channelise that energy in healthy activities.

Next time you see someone walking back and forth from the camera in a video call, or doing some stretchings that looks like disturbing the whole environment, it is likely because they want to move whenever they can.

I am an example, and I can’t stay idle unless it is necessary. Ask my friends. They will tell you I walk in video calls all the time because that’s how I want my legs to live. If they are beautiful, I move them.

This blog belongs to a daily streak I am maintaining. Target-1 was 21 days. Target-2 was 100. Target-3 is 150. Today is day 115. Here is the first blog that started the streak

Thank You for reading! See you tomorrow!

~ Sanjeev