Let me tell you, after a 6-mile run this morning and two and a half hours playing volleyball this evening, the exercise has pretty much driven every anxious thought from my brain.
Movement is so beautiful like that. Reconnecting with exercise as a way to process stress and emotion has been a game-changer for me this year and kept me much more balanced. I woke up this morning and after spending a couple of hours working on a critique letter for someone’s novel I’d beta read, I was feeling early signs of Sunday Blues. So even though I wasn’t planning on it today, I said fuck it and went for another long run. In 45-degree but clear weather, the greenbelt was just what I needed this morning.
And look, I don’t want to be a proponent of over-exercise — I really didn’t plan on playing volleyball for so long tonight. Or go so hard for that matter. I haven’t been part of most games in this last season — holiday conflicts and then my knee injury have kept me off the court for nearly two months — but I missed it enough (and my knee has felt better) to commit tonight. It was the playoffs and we won our first game in two sets and then played a full three sets for the championship. We lost in the end, but we played hard. I still make mistakes, but I’m a pretty strong player (even after a break) for the level of this league (which is, to be clear, super fucking casual and generally not crazy competitive). But out of the five games I at least never missed a serve and was the only primary setter on the team which means I get to dash around the court and touch the ball the most — my favorite.
I’m also rewatching my volleyball anime right now so it’s the perfect time for me to play and get really hyped about the sport.
Now, back to watching my anime, I’m feeling today in my legs and in my early tiredness, but what I am not feeling is the same looming Sunday Blues I woke up with. Chalk one up for exercise.
With Love,
Natalie