Recently, a friend of mine said, “I don’t see the need to run unless someone is chasing me.” Of course, that’s a natural mindset for someone who’s never run, but those who have experienced the pleasure of running or walking will agree with me.

Actually, I was going to write about something completely different this week, but the joy I got from running on Sunday was so great that I wanted to share it right away.

We all have problems in life from time to time. We all want to get through them without getting hurt or with minimal damage. I can achieve this through sports.

Lately, I’ve also been having some personal problems. There’s a big change going on in my life. Changes are always great, but sometimes breaking ingrained habits is very difficult. During this period, it feels like there are little men constantly running around inside my brain.

So how did I calm these men down?

Through exercise, of course. My meditation is running, and I think that’s how I got through this period unscathed.

Exercise is always therapy, but it becomes even more important when we have problems. Especially us women, when we have questions in our heads, we turn to chocolate, cake, waffles, food. Our souls are already damaged, and we harm our bodies as well. However, if we make our bodies happy, our souls heal quickly.

Don’t know where to start?

Let yourself out into the streets. If you don’t walk at all, start with a slow walk. If you walk slowly, try a normal walk; if you walk normally, try a faster walk; if you walk fast, try a slow run. Breathe in the air. If there’s sun, let the sun touch your skin; if there’s rain, let the rain touch your skin; if there’s wind, let the wind touch your skin and heal you. Nature will always give you the best massage. With every step you take, you’ll see your worries leave you one step behind. When you finish your walk or run, you’ll feel much better than when you started.

Don’t get hung up on numbers or speedometers. You’re not competing with anyone; just listen to your body. Do as much as it allows. I used to use heart rate monitors and calorie counters. I was always trying to hit specific numbers, and that stressed my body out. When I got rid of them, my body was free and enjoyed the real thrill of exercise.

If you want to run, you can join running groups. It’s a great motivation for beginners. You can try the running groups of major sports brands. That’s how I started. Experienced coaches will teach you everything. Don’t be afraid and just let them guide you. They will welcome you warmly and teach you everything. Now, with every step I take, I thank my coaches who instilled in me the best habit in my life and made me love running.

Even as I write this, I want to put down my computer and go outside for a run… Our closest friend, the one we can always turn to and share our happiness or our troubles with, is ourselves. To do this in the best way possible, let’s walk, run, or find another sport we love. Let’s not deprive our minds and bodies of this unique need. Happiness lies in the serotonin hormone, and serotonin comes from exercise.

I wish everyone healthy, happy, and sugar-free days.

Note: This article was published on my column at www.hthayat.com on February 24, 2017.