Feel Fine in Five

Burt is a bright guy. Yet, he was having one of those days when nothing goes right. His secretary phoned in sick. His wife called in a panic because their eighth grader just threw a hard ball through a neighbor’s picture window. The IRS was demanding an audit…

You get the picture.

Rebbe Nachman of Breslev teaches us to separate life into two types of situations: when things go our way and when things don’t go our way. Sure, this sounds super simplistic, but like everything else Rebbe Nachman teaches, it’s very deep. It’s also a key to survival.

None of us need coaching when we’re winning the game. No one ever asks why the winning team won. Yet, the losing team is full of excuses.

We all know how to function in a favorable environment, when everything is progressing the way we want it to. Yet, few of us know how to function in a hostile climate, when nothing seems to go our way.

Why do we find ourselves so often in the hostile climate, rather than in the favorable climate?

The Creator wants us to be our best. No one ever made character, physical or spiritual growth and gains by eating chocolate ice-cream. Coping with difficulties make us great. That’s why Rebbe Nachman implores us to learn how to function when things are not going our way. These are the stressful situations in life, and we all have plenty of them. So what do we do?

Many people reach for pills, liquor, tobacco or any number of other substances as stress relievers. Others check out of the painful reality and turn to social media, a movie or a TV show. None of these help us cope.

I’ve got a better suggestion: why not try a biochemical that the body produces? It’s a feel-good hormone called endorphin. Endorphins have three great affects:

1. They reduce pain;

2. They decrease fatigue;

3. They give you a positive attitude.

The above three benefits enable our brains to function much more efficiently. Once the endorphins start to flow, the stress and anxiety of a few minutes ago no longer look like the end of the world. The brain kicks into positive mode.

The great news is that you don’t need a prescription for endorphins and they won’t cost you a thing. What could be better? The Creator implanted a built-in pharmacy in our endocrine system. Endorphins are also wonderful in that they don’t cause addiction or dependence.

So how do you get a good dose of endorphins? A 30-minute workout will do the trick.

“I don’t have 30 minutes!” you might be saying. OK, I’ll give you a big discount. Try five minutes.

My exercise vids will show you how to do things at your own level. Start with loosening up your body. It’s easy. Then try pushups; after, continue with planks. Finish off with some jogging in place and some stretching. Make sure you’ve had 5 minutes of nonstop activity. This beats a coffee break any day of the week…

At any rate, during his five minutes, Burt locked his office door and did a minute of jumping jacks, a minute of pushups, a minute of body squats, a minute of lunges and then a minute of burpees. He cheated and did a sixth minute, during which he stretched and cooled down. Right afterward, he drank 2 glasses of water and then picked up the phone, systematically solving the problems that less than ten minutes ago looked hopeless. You can too.