Most everyone who knows me knows that I’m driven by structure. I thrive on to-do lists, goals and achievements. I am a task-oriented person. I’m in a new season of my fitness however, one that is needed, one that is a major change for me. I’m taking a break from structure and just letting myself listen to my body for its daily needs. Don’t get me wrong, I am still working out and running, I can’t go more than a day without exercise, as it’s my drug and therapy of choice. Instead of following my usual regimented workout program, I am doing whatever my body feels like doing. This is completely foreign to me. I am slowing down and focusing on the joy of movement. I swam this week, and for the first time in my life (note: count that to be 25+ years of competitive swimming), I didn’t calculate my yardage. I simply swam and didn’t stop. I didn’t count, I didn’t measure, I didn’t do any sets. I just swam.
Enjoy your season right now.
My running has been a similar experience recently. I lace up my shoes, step outside and just go until I don’t feel like it anymore. Sometimes this is four miles, sometimes it is eight, and it doesn’t matter really because the end goal is to celebrate the joy of movement. I’m not running because I have to, I’m running because I want to. Other seasons of my fitness life are driven by specific mileage and pace goals, so the freedom to just run and be me is a true taste of freedom indeed. I don’t know how long this aimless season of my fitness will be, but as I was advised yesterday, we are given seasons to live in them, not to worry about when they will end. Seasons are meant to change, so enjoy them while they are here.
Be happy in the season of life you are in right now, savor it and don’t let thoughts of your future seasons steal from the season that you are currently in.