Two ways

We made it to June.  Some things are reopening and some things remain closed.  Many of us are a little stir crazy (or a lot stir crazy…  or just crazy…).  For myself, I’m finding that things have settled into something of a routine, but there is also an undulation of emotion going on.  Some days I feel like I can do it all and some days I can hardly get out of bed because there is no work to go to and I’m not all that excited about continuing to do the same old things.  I may not be the only one feeling like that, so here’s how I cope (and yes, this is relevant to fitness).  There are two ways.

One way is to let myself rest.  This is a stressful time.  Every time a “new normal” emerges from the chaos, something changes and I have to adapt.  Adaptation is not without challenge.  And I know that the challenges I face could be so much worse, so my heart goes out to those dealing with harder problems.  The point is that it is all right to rest when it becomes too much, to sleep more, to play.  We do not have to be productive every single minute of every single day.  We are not what we do.  However, there are limitations to this approach.  Eventually, doing nothing leads to boredom and apathy and depression.  The good news is I have a second plan.

Plan B is to do some exercise.  It doesn’t matter what kind or how much.  Even taking Cricket out around a single block is enough to shift my perspective, but it is better if I get good and sweaty on the spin bike or on a hike or with the weights.  If that seems like too much work, I can go breathe through some Pilates or yoga.  The small investment of energy creates a whole new outlook, partly from the heart rate elevation and the muscle movement and the flexibility and partly from the simple joy of accomplishing one thing.  Doing one thing means that accomplishment is possible and that opens up the world.

We can rest if we need to and then we can move.  We can do this.