Tag Archives: exercise

Move Outside

Leave a comment

Move outside of conventional thinking, blind acceptance of information, rigid adherence to societal standards, pressure to compete with unattainable goals, shortsighted global views, pigeonholed careers, clock watching, orchestrated self-sabotage, doomsday scenarios, rat races, hamster wheels, bear markets, likes, followers, the perfect angle, the perfect light, sound bites, idolatry, jealousy, greener grass, greener envy, antagonistic self-reflection, competitive denigration, punching down, anonymous opinions, recycled rage, or falsely directed fear.

But most importantly…Move. Outside.

We are zombies and addicts. Glued to the incessant blue light glow of media, entertainment, propaganda, and mind control, we find ourselves forced against our will to continue swimming in a toxic stream. As our brains and bodies become more and more compromised, we defiantly keep our palms hovering just above the flame, even when the skin starts to blister. We lose days, weeks, and months in a ceaseless, cultish haze of ritualistic participation.

Thankfully, there is a panacea to stop our unconscious suffering. It couldn’t be easier to access and it’s entirely without cost. At a cellular level, science designed us to slay this dragon, and there is no more perfectly constructed solution to this troubling global affliction.

Stand up. Move.

Walk, run, jog, jump, slide, spin, sprint, hang, climb, swim, swing, dance, stretch, and twist.

The immediate effects are shocking. The long-term benefits are indisputable. What starts as a slog will soon become a necessity. Our minds and moods mimic this change in positive action and the chemicals that foster those feelings respond in kind.

We don’t need pills or distractions or more ways to numb ourselves.

We just need to move.

Adolescence Interrupted

Nurture Thy Soul

6 Comments

Every once in a while, the static seems to settle and we’re able to lock into moments of perfectly positioned peace. Granted, this is not a regular visitor. But when we can turn down the volume of that incessant buzzing in the backs of our brains to experience a few drops of weightless, unadulterated alignment with our surroundings, those fleeting flashes are worth their weight in gold.

This fulfillment-making formula doesn’t require complicated planning or lavish accommodations. It’s simply a matter of exposing the root of what makes us smile, and then letting it get the sunlight it needs to grow. This varies wildly from person to person, and sometimes the simplest set of variables generates the most significant results.

Personally, I know a perfect balance of music, film, safety, isolation, and an empty to-do list can rocket me to a sweet spot of contentment faster than a rowdy party or noisy get-together, but everyone is different. I also savor the depletion following exercise-induced highs. The more introverted energy that can be generated from easy, unrestricted breathing and the simple gift of letting my body buckle from exertion, the more it resembles a reward from work well done.

Perhaps I wanted to write about this particular recent event because it is such a rare phenomenon. It’s hard to remember the last time I felt like I could lower the defensive shields and clear my mind. It takes a very specific set of circumstances. So when that wave of pure tranquility unexpectedly washed over me a few days ago, its presence was noted.

Unfortunately, like all waves, it receded as quickly as it arrived. But the cognizance of its normally yeti-like existence helped reorganize the possibility in my mind for its return. Life can’t be all candy, but we should try to take the taffy when it’s offered.

Adolescence Interrupted