Biking Towards Health and Happiness

In order to live a positive and healthy life, you need a number of ingredients. #1 is you need purpose - something that motivates you in a direction. Without it, you sink into a dismal black hole of existence (or am I being too dramatic here). #2 is you need a good connection with yourself and those who are important to you. Relationships are different for each person but they are very important to establish. #3 on my list is exercise. Unlike some people, I don't feel exercise is the be all end all of living a healthy life, but you must add it in somewhere, for without it, everything starts to rust both within and without.

When we were younger, exercise was easy. We ran, skipped and jumped because we wanted to, not because it balanced our weight. As we get older and busier, those days of running and jumping tend to become replaced with time in front of the computer, looking after family, making meals or the big beautiful moving colored box we call the TV.

So if this is you, as it is often me, I suggest adding some exercise into your life in a fun and practical way such as biking. Biking is just plain fun. I don't know anyone who thinks it isn't. It is a great way to get around, it is much faster than walking, better for the environment than driving, and you can literally add it into your life at any age. Above all else, it is an easy exercise to start. All you need is a bicycle!

Here are a few suggestions on how to get motivated and start biking to improve your overall health and add a bit more sunshine into your life.

Getting Started in Regular Biking

1. First and foremost, you need to make it regular. If you don't, I can almost guarantee your cycling days will be dead within a few weeks. To do this it will take a bit of willpower, but before you know it, your mind will be begging you to keep your regular routine. The mind likes routine, so keep your biking going until it becomes one.

2.Find productive and fun ways to add biking into your daily routine. Ride to the store when you need something you can carry in your backpack, or cycle to the post office when you need some stamps. Explore a few beautiful areas in your nearby neighborhood.

3. Look for a good biking group in town. If you are new, you may not want to join a professional cycling group, but look for a gang at your skill level that you can relate to. Outdoor groups tend to be a positive bunch of people.

4.See if you can ride to work. If it is a long distance, you may not want to show up all sweaty, but if your situation allows you to cycle to your job, then that is just a great way to get exercise and feel good both at the start and end of the day.

Keep Your Bike Healthy and Happy Too

Your body and mind are machines that need to be kept in good working order to work properly. Your bike is similar. Care for your bike like you care for your body and you'll find a lot more satisfaction in your biking experience. If you don't care for your body yet, then I'd suggest start caring for yourself first, as that in itself will go along way in keeping you happy and healthy and then move on to your bike.

You don't have to be a mechanical expert to learn a few tips online about bicycle maintenance and cleaning. Doing your own minor repairs is now only very fulfilling but also provides a sense of ownership to what you are doing and allows you to get to know the workings of your bike better. You might even want to invest in a bike repair stand, a wrench and a chain scrubber just to name a few of the handy tools that will keep your bike feeling the love.

As crazy as it sounds, I had an old car once that kept running long past the time it should have expired, and I am still convinced to this day it did so because I just plain loved that car (hey, it was my first car). Love can move stones, heal all your problems and make any activity you do in your life a success. With a little effort you can bicycle your way towards your health and fitness.