Exercise is the only thing I know to cure pain from the past. The rest of this blog post is a summary of my latest workout. I’m sharing this to help motivate you and to understand myself.
Each workout has an intention or a purpose, and in the end, something important is learned. Very few workouts are exceptional, some are average, and most are rough, but all are transformational.
Here is the latest footstep into my fit to live journey…
Workout: Learning How to Rest
How Did I Feel Before the Workout?
While I feel great overall, I am somewhat mentally fatigued. It has been a busy month, and I feel as though I need to take a break, but I’ve forgotten how to rest. What does “rest” even look like? Is it binging Netflix for a day or two? Is it going on a long hike, by myself, in the woods? Or is it just doing nothing in the middle of something? Each option sounds like the right thing to do, but none of them interest me.
What Was My Intention?
Being that today is “yoga and meditation” day, I intend to reflect on what it means to rest. What are my body and mind asking for? A re-connection is necessary, and today, I hope I will find it. But, I must keep in mind there’s a possibility that I won’t.
Forced thought does not present the answer. A freed mind only produces the right question.
What Workout Did I Do?
- Yoga: 45 minutes of slow flow, Yin Yoga.
- Meditation: 20 minutes of reflection and thought.
How Did I Feel After the Workout?
As always, I left Yoga feeling like a renewed human. Some of the stretches were just what I needed, especially my hips and upper back. The meditation was deep as usual, and I absolutely love it when I lose track of time when I meditate.
What Did I Learn?
Time will still move on, and the world will always progress if I take one day to myself. Giving myself permission to sit inside of myself and enjoy the person I am is key to knowing where I’m going. Resting is not an option if growth is the goal.
The Story Behind This
Fitness means much more than toned muscles, physical strength and endurance. Building an intimate connection between your mind and body is the true definition of fitness. Life can be tough on you sometimes, and it is only made tougher if that connection is missing.
There is virtue in work and there is virtue in rest. Use both and overlook neither.
Alan Cohen
I spent many years trying to recover from the the fallout of childhood sexual trauma. My mind was continually trying to disconnect from a body that didn’t feel my own. It wasn’t until I discovered exercise that I was able rebuild that connection and become someone whole and worth living for. Every workout is just another chance to get a little closer to who I really am.