Like a bunch of the FIFI bloggers and friends, I’m in a Facebook count-your-workouts group (224 workouts in 2024). As of today, I’m at 75 workouts, which is rather far behind many of the folks posting in our group. It’s been an emotionally taxing semester teaching-wise (I promise, no more complaining about students). However, it is now well and truly over.
Since the end of semester, I’ve given myself some time for increasing my level of activity. I’ve dabbled in dog walking, gamboled through gardens, restored my self through gentle yoga (enhanced with more sound bathing, which I highly recommend) done more yoga and stretched some at home.
Speaking of gardens, you might check out the Green Animals Topiary Garden in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, that I explored last week with my friend Melanie. However, if it’s too far to swing by, here are some highlights:
While I’m still metaphorically catching my breath and ramping up for a more active summer, I’m trying to work in more varied active pursuits. I mentioned in a past blog about my garden membership with its reciprocal agreements with other gardens. That’s low-key outdoor and social fun, which checks a few boxes. I have plans to see botanical gardens in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, Delaware and Pennsylvania.
I’m also getting some informal weight lifting in by helping a friend who’s moving by packing and getting rid of excess stuff (taking it to charity outlets). And, I’m volunteering for my church’s annual sidewalk sale next weekend– hauling stuff to the sale, and then at the end of the sale, hauling unsold stuff to charity places.
You may wonder why I’m doing these sorts of activities instead of just cycling or swimming or kayaking, etc. Why do I feel the need to get creative instead of straightforward about workouts?
Yeah. Well, the deal is that I’ve felt pretty depleted and at times downright wrung out by life in the past six months. There’s no dread secret cause, just a variety of events ranging from local to global that have made me feel very downtrodden (I’m sure you can all relate). And I’ve found that even with the aid of sunshine, warmer temps and gigantic magenta peonies, I can’t go from zero to cycling/swimming/etc. immediately. It’s going to take a little time to get back into the swing of moving in the ways I love.
Enter creative and functional and beneficial workouts– combining helping with social interaction while working up a little head of steam seems to be just what I need. Next week: coffee bike ride with my friend Pata. And, I’m starting an herb garden, although not in the shapes of animals. You can’t do everything.
Readers, when you’re moving from blah to Rah, what do you do? What kind of transitional creative activities do you do? I’d love to hear from you.
