Day 3 was better. I believe it was better because it was simpler.
I woke up around 6:20am. Wanted coffee. Made some. Then decided I wanted to feel the exercise, not the coffee. So I decided to save it. Drinking it now while writing this article. Cheers!
I checked the weather. Rain :) I ❤ rain.
I took a shower, brushed my teeth, put on my clothes and was out the door by 7am. What I want to get better is a more streamlined routine in the morning before I exercise. I mean I have it good right now but it can improve I think. Like instead of thinking should I do this, should I do that, I just know. For example, should I meditate or listen to a Paraliminal before I exercise or after. I think exercise first thing in the day (from what I’ve read) is one of the best way to start the day.
My goal or intention was to do 1 Pomodoro of walking.
1 Pomodoro = 25 minutes
Learning from Day 2, I decided to “take it easier” on my myself. By that, I mean not going to timbuktu and back haha. Although, that is fun and enjoyable. For Day 3 I decided to just stay in my neighborhood. And what a lovely neighborhood it is :)
This was a good idea. It was good because I didn’t have to feel so far from home if I just wanted to come back. Not that I wanted to come back or anything. What I mean is that it was comforting in a way knowing I wasn’t too far from home but also getting the work done.
During the first Pomodoro I listened to Steve Pavlina. This is encouraging and important and good for not getting stuck in my head (which I have a tendency to do). On that note, getting stuck in my head is another reason why I wanted to start this challenge. Or rather, why, now that I’m thinking about it and reflecting on exercising is an excellent reason to keep going.
If I had to sum up Day 3 in one word it would be “calm”.
Yes, calm. Something I struggle with a lot. I have dealt with anxiety and depression and the like. I think if I had to choose an area of the body for me being calm it would most obviously be my legs. Although, they do feel a bit of a burning or achey senstation. More importanlty, I have a bit more calmness in my heart. Just sitting here writing this for you is just such a calm experience right now. I attribute that a lot to the 50 minute walk. Another reason is the combination of this webapp Noisli (for productivity and focus — I favor the fire crackling sound), the rain, and writing. Oh yeah, coffee too :D — As I am writing this I am also using the Pomodoro Method, by the way.
After my first 25 minutes, I decided to just keep going. Basically, head home. This was an easy decision to make because I obviously wanted to come back home. And it was a smoother way about it because I wasn’t so far from home.
Approximately halfway through the 2nd 25 minutes I decided to turn the audio I was listening to off. I wanted to hear my thoughts, and pay attention to my body. I would say it was subtle, but I did notice something. Like I mentioned previously, the feeling was calm. I wasn’t walking fast or anything like that. I was just walking with the intention of this challenge. I felt calmness in my body. Sitting here writing this is a very pleasurable experience. I mean, it is challenging, but its enjoyable at the same time.
I feel calm writing this.
My worries about being alone were diminished because I have 2 plans of being with people today. So that definitely helps. I don’t need that everyday, but I did notice when I took my shower that I didn’t have to worry or feel alone today because I had something to look forward to. Something I definitely want to improve upon is where my time goes. Instead of worrying and concerning myself with how my day will go, I will know. Or at least, I will have a strong understanding of it. More specifically, not feeling like I’m going to spend the day alone helps. Even if I can’t physically be with someone (although that is probably ideal), it would help to use my voice. Spending all day is okay but at a certain point it feels a bit weird, unless I’m being productive with my time. I think for me, especially being an introvert, that this is an area I need to take a closer look at.
I could keep going, but I’ll save it for a rainy day…oh wait :D
