Two days ago, after work, I was simply exhausted. There had been problems with the audio-visual which stressed me out, and, of course it's been a fairly busy schedule. So, instead of going out with Joe after work, I choose to stay back in the hotel to rest. I did very little other than read, play games on the computer, after answering my work emails of course. I knew I needed to unwind and rest. It's rare for me to simply not go outside at some point in a day. Nevertheless, I pushed that need aside to indulge myself in just being 'in.'
Last night after work, I was itching to get out. I start feeling 'cooped' up fairly quickly, so I joined Joe and rolled myself to the car. It's nice to be presenting in the same hotel as we are staying, really nice, but it's nice to get out. We thought of places to go. We needed some things for the room so we went to a really nice and really big Safeway store near our hotel.
When I got in, Joe picked up a cart and we went shopping. There weren't a lot of people there so I could do what I needed to do. I needed my version of 'going for a run.' I set aim and went from one side of the store to the other, twice, up and down 6 aisles, and then from the check out to the car. My muscles were screaming because it had been a long distance, I had pushed myself fast with only short breaks for shopping, and, of course, I had to quickly turn and quickly break when someone came out the end of an aisle.
It felt good to get some physical movement into my day. It helps break my concentration from the work at hand AND it helps me sleep at night - too tied to worry about the next day. I know that others run through parks and along boardwalks ... me I need a good floor, a long stretch and a reasonably safe place to extend myself. For those of you who think that this might be dangerous for others. My fast, and your fast, are probably very different things. Even so, it feels like racing to me.
Got back to the hotel, feeling much better, got some oxygen in my lungs, had a pleasant ache in my arms and shoulders. And, of course, we'd picked up dinner for the room. All's well.
Dear Dave:
ReplyDeleteYou did just what you needed to do to take good care of yourself. Its a wise person who does that!
Colleen
Same here: the muscles NEED some movement every day - or they twitch, and won't let me relax enough to go to sleep.
ReplyDeleteThe minor yoga I do in bed is practically mandatory - and would be nothing to someone else.
You have to do what YOU know you need to keep from deteriorating any faster than necessary - and if you can improve things for yourself, so much the better.
Alicia
"All's well" is interesting to those of us who care!
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking me to the Safeway. Sometimes I need a little outing like that, too. I understand that need to stay in your room, but I can also understand the joy that comes from stretching your wings a bit. The simple pleasures... Sigh.
ReplyDelete