People who exercise, whether that involves an intense workout or just a regular long walk, feel healthier, feel better about themselves and enjoy life more.

A prominent executive used to say, "Whenever the thought occurs to me that maybe I should exercise, I lie down until the thought passes."

He said this a lot, and, not surprisingly, his philosophy led him directly to a lack of energy and, soon, to health problems.

His doctors impressed on him the necessity of changing his lifestyle, and the executive gave it a try. To his surprise, he found he actually enjoyed exercising. It was a chance to spend some time everyday, without any worries or concerns, doing something positive. And instead of making him tired, exercise actually increased his energy.

What's his philosophy now? "I enjoy exercise so much, I can hardly put it into words."

Research on physical activity finds that exercise increases self- confidence, which in turn strengthens self-evaluations. Regular exercise, including brisk walks, directly increases happiness 12 percent, and can indirectly make a dramatic contribution to improving self-image. (Fontane 1996)

Excerpt from 100 Simple Secrets of Happy People by David Niven, Ph.D.