Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.
Albert Einstein
Riding a bicycle has been a huge part of my life for about as long as I can remember and it often feels that a day when no pedalling occurs is a day lacking a key ingredient. So when I discovered this quote from Albert Einstein, this really resonated with me!
Our #justkeepmoving campaign has provided me with an opportunity to reflect on this aspect of my life and what this means to me. Exercise and in particular cycling provides balance in my day making up for the fact that work involves sitting almost stationary in front of a computer for hours on end. I do enjoy my work and find it challenging and rewarding, however after a prolonged period of sitting, I can feel my tension and anxiety building. This can only be released by getting outside, moving through the environment, testing muscles, heart and lungs and the sensation of speed provided by my bike. Cycling for me is also a form of meditative practice where the mind can wander and the subconscious can be unleashed on the unsolved problems of the day. It is not unusual for clarity to be achieved and creative solutions to be formed while out on my bike that have then found themselves influencing the direction of my work.
The benefits have not just been personal and inward looking… this passion has also led to many of my friendships and built most of my social circle. There is no better place to spend quality time with a friend than on a long bike ride where there is no agenda and there is a journey to share.
The evidence is clear that exercise is probably the cheapest and most effective treatment for nearly all health conditions, be they physical or mental. However for me exercise is not just a chore that most be completed in order to tick a box and look after myself. It is a fundamental part of my day which adds value to all its other aspects. I hope that this #justkeepmoving can encourage others to develop a similar relationship with activity and exercise…