Danielle Santola: Blog 1- I Believe in Endorphins
After three long years of fight after fight he left me. Said that I was arrogant and selfish and that he preferred my best friend. She said she preferred him too. I could have fallen to depression. Anorexia, alcohol or drugs. Instead, I grabbed my sneakers and my iPod and headed for the door. I believe in endorphins. I believe in the natural high that comes with every workout. I believe in the music that brings me out of my own little world. And as a result I believe in myself. By definition, endorphins are the natural equivalent to a narcotic, reducing the sensation of pain or stress. Translation? Hello workouts, goodbye pain.
With every run I left the world behind me. With every bike ride I forgot about time or destination. With every kickboxing class I felt unstoppable. Similar to the effects of morphine, endorphins have the power to get you immediately addicted. But an addiction to this kind of high comes with plenty of positive side effects. An effective physical activity daily stimulates the chemicals in your brain that leave you happier and more relaxed than when you started. Little did I know, this was all I ever needed.
In the loss of the two people I held closest to my heart, I found a passion that would forever change my life. More importantly, I found that I had the strength to use a negative situation to change my life for the better, rather than succumb to the worse. Three years later and a thousand times more confident, I have turned my passion into a profession by becoming a certified group exercise instructor. Now instead of the arrogant, selfish girl they thought of me before, I share my passion with others by teaching them the effects of endorphins.
Everyone knows that daily exercise is good for you. But some overlook the ways that physical activity can improve your lifestyle. You don’t need to set aside huge chunks of time for exercise in order to control your weight. Take the stairs or walk to class and not only are you burning calories and feeling better about yourself, but preventing future health conditions as well. Exercise is a mood regulator; it boosts your energy for that extra spark during the day, but also promotes better sleep. Today, not only do I feel better about myself both in appearance and as a person, but I have also found a way to keep myself consistently happy and put the fun back into my daily life.
Self-confident? Yes. But to me there is no greater feeling in the world than a patron who comes to me after a class and thanks me for starting her day off right. I now have the strength and confidence to share my energy with others and prove to them that they too can turn negatives into positives. I believe in myself. I believe in inspiring others. I believe in endorphins.