So, if moving to a new city and starting a new job was not stressful enough, now let's throw in a home search and the pressure of making an offer on a house. I have seriously been on stress overload. So what is my remedy? Fitness in the form of a 4:30 a.m. run each day. Yes, you read that correctly. The perfect stress relief for me has been waking up very early, when it is still quiet, there is no traffic, no one else up besides a few deer. You simply hear the padding of your feet and the rhythm of your breathing. The dim light from the sun rising is all that lights the path. The cool, dampness of the air ...
This is the type of run that I have needed and that I have experienced over the last two weeks. I will admit that it has been hard to get into the routine, and difficult to get up and out the door each morning, but without it, I can only imagine how stressed I would be and how cranky I could become.
No matter how tired I am, or sore, or motivation-lacking, the first 5-10 minutes out on the path makes all that disappear. I return home rejuvenated and relatively stress-free (or at least stress-managed).
These types of runs are possible since my husband and I choose to live in the northern part of the city, up where there are more green spaces to enjoy.
This is just one of the views that I get (except that this was taken in the daylight as you cannot see any of this at dawn). It is crazy to think that you can find areas like this in big cities, such as the Lake Calhoun area in Minneapolis.
And, since everyone needs a go-to stress-reliever, why not double up on the benefits and use physical activity? Yoga is always a good alternative if you prefer something more soothing than pounding on the pavement or peddles of a bike.
Hope you all have a stress-free rest of the week. I can almost guarantee that I will not ... so you will continue to find me out here most mornings!
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