There was a time I couldn’t think straight.
That’s terrifying.
I wasn’t sleeping well.
I’d reread the same line of code ten times.
Every bug felt like a wall I couldn’t climb.
I thought the problem was mental.
More books. More focus apps. More caffeine.
But nothing helped.
That’s when it hit me:
My brain wasn’t the problem.
My body was.
But the truth?
They’re connected.
Out of frustration, I did something stupidly simple.
I went for a walk.
Just a slow, quiet walk.
No podcasts. No goals. No steps to track.
And something shifted.
I felt calmer. More focused.
Even… happier?
So I did it again the next day.
And again the day after that.
That’s when I stumbled across the science
Every time you move, you give your brain a bubble bath of chemicals.
Dopamine. Serotonin. Endorphins.
The stuff we chase with pills and apps?
Your body makes it, for free, if you just move.
And over time, those chemicals do something even more powerful:
Your brain starts to grow.
Literally.
New brain cells in the hippocampus (hello, memory).
Improved function in the prefrontal cortex (goodbye, mental fog).
You don’t have to be a runner.
Or a gym rat.
You just have to stop being a statue.
Fast-forward to now?
I work out five times a week.
At home. With dumbbells.
No gym membership.
I’ve lost over 30 kilos (66+ pounds) of body mass.
Mostly fat.
Stuff I was carrying around without realizing how much it was dragging me down.
But here’s the truth most people miss:
I didn’t start there.
Here's what worked for me:
10-minute walks before work
Dancing like an idiot while cleaning
Stretching between meetings
Taking stairs instead of elevators
Walking around during phone calls
You just need to move.
Start tiny.
Stay consistent.
And let your mind catch fire again.
Stop being a statue... OMG, hard truth
I just started morning walks this week, mainly to catch that early morning sun, and it feels so good
Those tiny habits compound quickly. I always take the stairs when possible, and I try to hit those 10K daily steps.