My Therapy

For many people, seeing a therapist is incredibly beneficial. Trust me, I’m not going to knock that.

But as long as I have sneakers and I sports bra, I don’t think I’ll be shelling out a copay to chat with someone on a couch. Maybe that’s because I basically suck at talking about my feelings. (Fine, yes, I’m flawed.)

Tonight I took my favorite spinning class at the gym. I snagged a front row seat next to one of my gym pals (Hi, CJ!) and was so excited to churn my legs as fast and hard as possible. While the instructor screamed at us — “You just worked harder in 45 minutes than most people will work all week!” — my brain felt clear.

As the sweat dripped down my face (and into my eyes, and down the back of my neck…because I’m super sexy) I focused on the power in my body. I cranked up the resistance every time he told us to (yup, sometimes I cheat and only do a teeny tiny turn to the right) and pushed myself as hard as I could.

When I left class, I had a serious pep in my step. Maybe it’s because the second to last song — when I thought I had nothing left in me — was Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way.” Or maybe it’s because I sweat out whatever mental toxins I had in me after an exhausting couple weeks.

Either way, I left class feeling great. Exercise is my therapy.

AND YOU? What’s your therapy? I don’t care if it’s a bowl of ice cream or cleaning out your closet once a month. Tell me what keeps you grounded.

Ali

Ali

0 Responses

  1. I got a shout out! I feel so famous. haha
    Great seeing you today! Glad we got to chat before class. Being in the front row is so strange. I am still undecided about the whole staring at myself in the mirror thing.
    Hope to see you next Wednesday for more spin therapy. =]

  2. I love having that pep in my step after an awesome workout! It feels so good to know you made yourself feel that great after pushing it during a workout!

  3. It’s funny, I just had the same thought the other day about running. I was totally overwhelmed with grad school and life before I started running. Not even 3 miles in and I was feeling like a weight was lifted and by the end I felt like a new woman! Ru

  4. I love this post! My therapy is Core Fusion. When I feel ibbledik (it means out of sorts in Yiddish) I know I can take class and during that hour when I am so focused, I am able to get perspective and clarity. I always lay in savasana feeling like a new person. This is why it has been so hard for me with my injury not being able to take this class.

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about ali

I’m the creator of the Ali on the Run blog and the host of the Ali on the Run Show podcast. I’m also a freelance writer and editor, a race announcer, a runner and marathoner, a mom, and a huge fan of Peanut M&Ms, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (way better than the first one!), and reliving my glory days as a competition dancer in the early 2000s. I’m really happy you’re here.
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