I walked into the studio this morning with a pit in my stomach. My 3-year-old was up 3 times last night, which left me irritated. 20 minutes after I finally fell asleep on the hardwood floor next to him, the alarm went off. I went to turn it off only to be bombarded with terrifying news reports out of Las Vegas, which truthfully didn’t really hit me until I hit the shower and found my tears dropping parallel to the water from the shower stream. This only led me to think of a friend who at age 36, was diagnosed with cancer last Friday. You’ve been there before, right? We all have. Whether it’s a toddler, or a deadline, or a conflict…(insert reason here)….there’s always a reason to not walk through those studio doors.
But what I want to talk about is the flip-side of all of that.
When there are a million excuses, some of which are even validated…not to move, where does that key that unlocks the skip in our souls that holds the power to nearly take my breath away with excitement originate, and how is it that something so physically demanding as an hour of brutal cardio seem to lighten the load?
What I have come to understand is that to me, exercise is a beautiful exchange of give and take; the transfer of the cathartic energy, stemming from raw emotion to a tangible and physical release. How incredibly fascinating is it that even when the words are not there (which isn’t often;).., my body always is.
And therein lays my “Why” for working out.
It’s not for the weight loss. I’ve weighed about the same for the last 2 years,( never mind my addiction to Pepsi and goldfish crackers) It’s not for the cute yoga pants, (although in some cases, they make a strong argument)… it’s because even when life gets really hard, my physicality is a constant in which I can depend on. And what an incredible privilege that is. It’s what allows me to kick, dance, run, lift, sometimes even while singing through a moment, transforming my worry into positive energy. Literally.
Within an hour, I remember all of the beautiful people that surround me each day. The leaders who I turn to, to get me through a tough class. My friends, who make me laugh at absurd comments that make sense to no-one but us. My kids, who to my surprise each and every day, look to me as a source of strength and safety. And my co-workers who keep me inspired, challenged and motivated to become my best version of myself.
I work out. But perhaps more importantly, I work through. And that is what keeps me coming back for more!
I’d love to hear your “Why”!