Is it me or is that post-workout, full body sweat with jelly legs and aching arms the best feeling ever?
No, I’m serious.
And this is not just the endorphins talking.
OK, maybe a tiny bit of this blog is the endorphins, but for the most part, I really believe it is!
Today, I pose an hypothesis to you: We were made to move.
In this society we no longer hunt and gather for survival.
The closest we get to this nowadays is when Target moves your favorite peanut butter to a different aisle.
As you may know from previous posts, I was downsized from “my day job” in April and am now building up my freelance business. Meanwhile, I have joined a gym and am spending long weekends at my parent’s home helping out on a few home improvement projects.
After 15+ years of sitting at a desk for 8-10 hours a day, this being physical thing is like an elixir to my body and soul.
Even beyond the initial endorphin spike, I feel fantastic when I can step back and see the
direct results of my labor:
• A T-shirt drenched in sweat means calories were burned in a blaze of elliptical trainer glory
• My favorite socks ruined by dripped paint means a 400 foot pier was powerwashed
and stained (And boy does it look good!)
• Shorts thrown away because the grime they are covered in is unidentifiable means that
old tree was cut into firewood and loaded onto the truck for delivery.
I really do think we humans were made to be active. To move.
To use those muscles for more than walking to the water cooler and then to the bathroom an hour later.
Not only is sweating and using muscles long neglected great for my body, but I am also becoming aware of what this activity is doing for my mental well being.
I am invigorated.
Not to worry, I am NOT about to shut down my one-gal shop to audition for any DIY shows, but I am having the best time this summer and I know all this work is making me a better designer and writer.
The afternoon “BLAHS” are nonexistent these days and spending time in the open air is feeding my creativity. I had forgotten how awe inspiring nature can be!
When was the last time you stared at cumulus clouds and saw a puppy chasing a duck?
I did today.