Work it out
I entered the kickboxing class angry. Friends, I was clenched teeth angry, and one hundred percent ready to annihilate anything and anyone in my way. When the bags were brought out, and the workout began, I nearly toppled the whole thing over, which would have been really unfortunate for the lady on the other side. Oops.
We can agree, or I hope we can, that actually smashing someone’s face in, or destroying property are not the avenues we should race down when disappointed. Regardless of what I saw happening in cities in 2020, smashing up businesses and burning down property is not appropriate, right, or helpful. But a physical release of disappointment could work in our favor.
Feel like ripping someone’s head off? A boxing class may be just what you need. Feel like you may explode from all the emotions? Try lifting weights. Take a spinning class, go for a run, hike a tall mountain, swim laps until you develop gills, find your breath in a yoga class, stretch out in a Pilates class, you get to decide.
On the days I was overwhelmed with the situation, with disappointment, with anger, I went jogging. I turned up the music a little louder than usual, and jogged until my heart was pumping, and my lungs needed some oxygen. (To be clear, that equates to no more than three miles at a ten to eleven minute per mile pace.)
We know exercise helps with our mental state, much more so than wallowing in misery and bowls of ice cream, so why not utilize this method?
An article I found stated, “Exercise promotes all kinds of changes in the brain, including neural growth, reduced inflammation, and new activity patterns that promote feelings of calm and well-being. Exercise also releases endorphins, powerful chemicals in your brain that energize your spirits and make you feel good. Finally, exercise can also serve as a distraction, allowing you to find some quiet time to break out of the cycle of negative thoughts that feed depression.”
With all of those advantages, why wouldn’t we turn to exercise when facing disappointment (or daily, but that’s another topic for another day)? We need appropriate actions, and exercise fits the bill here.
We want to be healthy, well rounded individuals who can experience disappointment and not be destroyed by it. Choose the activity you like, one that excites you. A walk outside, a hard run, a boxing class, you get to decide.
I will always choose an outdoor activity over anything inside. The fresh air, and the freedom of space are delightful. You may be a lover of the great indoors. Great. Find something inside, at a gym, in your home, in a studio, that you enjoy. And no, sitting at a bar and drinking doesn’t count. Walking to the fridge to eat food you do not really need, and has no nutritional value isn’t exercise either. Running your mouth and complaining until everyone is tired of listening to you (or in my case, my husband), is not what we are looking for either.
Get up and get moving! You will feel better. More importantly, you will think better. I know I can easily become caught up in my emotions and negative thinking. One of the best ways to kick myself out of negative thought cycles is to move. For me, my mindset completely changes after exercise.
I have also found many problems have been solved when out walking with a friend. Maybe you need a friend to join you too. Grab one of your safe people, and get going. Again, you choose what works best for you. There are times I need to get out of my own head, and a friend joining me is just what I need. Other days, I need solitude, and to focus on my breathing and my movement.
Whatever form of exercise you choose, you will be better for it. Yes, exercise is good for our bodies, but it also benefits our minds. As we walk through disappointment, our minds often become cluttered and hyper focused on what is bothering us. In my not at all professional opinion, exercise declutters the mind, calm emotions running amuck, and helps us deal with situations calmly and rationally.
The beauty of exercise is we do not need to devote hours of our day to reap its rewards. Many days, I had twenty minutes before sunset. Since I didn’t want to walk or jog in the darkness, I shortened my route. Some days I was too exhausted to do much, so I chose a ten minute workout.