I’ve always been an athlete but there’s a part of me that hates failing even though repeatedly failing is what ultimately made me successful. I’ve never done a handstand before and yesterday I learned how! Something clicked when this happened and I was able to do it with ease. Afterward, I felt more in tune with my body than I think I ever have before.
When I first was introduced to rugby, I became obsessed. I couldn’t get enough of trying to perfect each movement. Repetition consumed me. It was the first time I had experienced that all consuming feeling in years. The past couple of days I’ve been hanging with friends who are obsessed with figuring out ways in which they can use their body continuously. For some reason, this has so sparked my interest in that same way rugby did. Rather than having a goal to hit (like starting in a rugby game), there is no goal other than to do more with and learn more about your body.
When did exercise become this thing we do a couple of times a week, in a set space, and for a set amount of time? Steven, one of my best friends, has made fitness a part of everything he does. Whether it’s walking on a small ledge rather than on the sidewalk next to a building or doing as many push-ups as he can while the microwave is going, he has found a way to incorporate it into his life. Now that I’m no longer playing sports like I used to, this idea of moving beyond the idea of exercise that I have in my head excited me. When did we put exercise in this box? Why do we feel the need to have a certain type of shoes or outfit to exercise? It makes me sad how exercise has become such an industry when really it’s just about making use and taking care of this awesome body we have.
I feel like I have a fresh pair of eyes after this trip home. I always had the excuse of “well I’m training for _____” so I can’t focus too much on xyz. Now I can do whatever I want with my body and I’m itching to see what comes of it. Already I feel like I’ve discovered that I’m more of an athlete than I thought and that I have a long way to go 🙂 here’s to continual improvement and new discoveries.
agm 