Everyone needs an outlet to blow off steam, relieve stress, or simply unwind. If you don’t already have an outlet, make sure you choose wisely; the wrong outlet could leave you fat, tired, or unproductive.

Though working out is my outlet now, it wasn’t always. For that, I have my parents to thank.

When I was a kid, I struggled in school. I was hyperactive, had a hard time focusing, and usually spent the day counting down the minutes until lunch, recess and the end of the day. Tired of getting stern calls from my teachers about how I was disrupting class, my frustrated parents decided to enroll me in sports. This turned out to be the best decision for everyone involved. Competition quickly became my outlet.

For the first time, I had found a place where I excelled and that I could take out my frustrations in a healthy manner. Not only did competing help me learn how to deal with stress, I started to become a better student. Staying busy with sports helped me to stay focused in the classroom. Though I don't participate in competitive sports anymore, working out remains my favorite outlet.

What is your outlet and do you make a daily practice of it? If you don’t, I recommend finding one immediately. Take it from me, healthy outlets help restore balance to the most chaotic of lives.

*image by Matt Niemi, Flickr

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