“A physical transformation necessitates a mental one.”

Lately, I have been doing physical training like a madman. I think I’m at the peak physical strength I’ve ever been at. I like to say a quote that I’m going to put down in writing here as my own. “Every physical transformation requires a mental transformation.” or maybe i should phrase it like the title instead. I think that’s better. I really believe this to be the case. There are certain battles you have to fight through to lose weight, to get stronger, to run further distances than before, to get more flexible. There are aspects of discipline, execution, no excuse making, that come into play. This is the obvious stuff that comes into play. The quote I hate but is popular is “pain is weakness leaving the body” while I hate the quote and the implications that it can have, I like the idea of the physical transformation required fighting through some sort of pain. This pain can however be pleasurable and joyful and does not need to be viewed as an intensely negative experience that requires resilience and perseverance alone.

In line with this ethos, Socrates, the ancient philosopher, emphasized the importance of physical training alongside intellectual development. He believed that nurturing both the body and the mind was essential for achieving true excellence. One of his famous quotes regarding physical training is: "No man has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable." This quote underscores Socrates' belief that neglecting physical fitness deprives individuals of the opportunity to fully realize their potential, both physically and mentally.

The mental transformation that can take place can even be the result of having more energy and thinking different thoughts because your breath pattern has changes as well as the shapes you make with your body. The way you move can influence though processes. Introducing energy and vitality into your life will ficilate different mental experiences. Some of this stuff I’m saying can be misinterpreted to say negative things about people who are thinkers and not extremely physically fit. I understand that and am empathetic to it, I however do think it’s worth writing about the mind and body connection because I feel that once I began taking cate of my body in new ways, that new mental paths opened up to me.

I will be writing about this connection more in the future and doing so from a place of personal experience.