Recharging the Physical Battery 🔋
If my first blog was the aerial map of resilience, this one is the close-up. We’re landing on one battery in particular — the Physical Battery — and seeing how it’s charged, drained, and maintained in everyday life.
Like the lithium pack in your phone, your physical energy has limits. Ignore it, and the low-battery warning will arrive at the worst possible moment. Nurture it, and suddenly you’re running further, thinking clearer, and feeling more alive.
For me, this year has been about a reset — not a new year’s resolution that fizzles by February, but a sustained return to habits I know work: the gym, hill walking, and, perhaps most joyfully, the simple rhythm of walking the dog.
Before and After and still counting down …..
1. The Gym: A Renewed Partnership with My Body
I used to think of the gym as a place to “get through” — a box to tick before the real day began. Now, it’s where I show up for myself. Strength training has become less about chasing a number on a dumbbell rack and more about creating a body that can keep up with the life I want to live.
That’s the shift: from “must do” to “get to do.”
And when you reframe it that way, the results — better sleep, sharper focus, less stress — feel like a natural by-product rather than a constant uphill grind.
Renewed partnership with body and my bro ,,,
2. Hill Walking: The Antidote to Flat Days
There’s something about gaining height under your own steam that recharges more than just your legs. Hill walking gives me three things modern life rarely does: perspective, stillness, and the reminder that effort pays off.
Reaching a summit isn’t just a physical achievement — it’s a metaphor that’s hard to ignore. You start at the bottom, the incline looks impossible, and yet, step by step, you get there. The view always makes the climb worth it.
3. Dog Walking: The Daily Non-Negotiable
No gym membership, no fancy kit — just a lead, a dog, and the open air. Dog walking is the stealth charger of my Physical Battery. It’s movement without the mental resistance of “exercise” and a ritual that grounds me in the present.
It also comes with a built-in accountability partner who refuses to take a rain check. There’s a lesson in that.
My Wee non negotiable
4. Small Habits, Big Energy
Beyond the big hitters — gym sessions, hill days, long walks — I’ve learned the small levers matter too:
Drinking more water than coffee (most days…)
Choosing stairs over lifts
Stretching for 5 minutes in the morning
Standing up between meetings
Individually, these habits are tiny. Together, they create a compound effect on my energy levels.
Who would have known ………
The Pay-Off
Since making these changes stick, the differences are obvious. I’ve lost over 80lbs and counting, but the real win isn’t on the scales. It’s in how I feel: lighter in body, clearer in mind, and more resilient across every other battery in my life.
Because here’s the thing: when your Physical Battery is topped up, your Intellectual, Spiritual, and Social ones get a boost too. It’s the foundation everything else rests on.
Next time, I’ll explore the Intellectual Battery — how curiosity, learning, and challenge can keep us mentally sharp and emotionally buoyant. But for now, maybe take a moment to check your own physical charge level. If it’s running low, the first step to recharging might be as simple as lacing up your shoes and heading out the door.
Here's to a Bright Future rooted in our Rich Past JJ 🧔🏻‍♂️
#Resilience #Leadership #Wellbeing #PhysicalHealth #HillWalking #GymLife #DailyHabits #EnergyManagement #PersonalDevelopment #LifeByDesign #DogWalking #ResilientLeadership #ExperienceMatters
