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The art of change is my focus. The art of being open to change. There's a well-known New-Age-y hint that one should make it a point to say "yes" to every opportunity that presents itself. Are they serious? Painful as it is to contemplate this, it has made me aware of how much I am the opposite: my first impulse, always, is to say "no"! Even I can see the need for more openness than this in my life.
So let's look at exercise. I love to walk. I have always walked in the city, taking public transit when I have to but walking to and from stations in the process. Well, with Covid I'm not going out: no concerts or plays, no restaurant meals. I now take the subway only rarely—and certainly not frequently enough for any related walking to count as exercise.
And then, out of the blue, came winter. Cold weather. Which has made me even less interested in walking. Unfortunately, with Covid, eating has replaced everything else as the passion du jour, so it's clear that some form of exercise is required—either that or a new wardrobe.
I found a 30-minute exercise program for the rebounder, which I use every morning anyway, but this is more intense. Now three days a week I bounce along with the filmed-ini-Mexico tape of a young Australian woman. There I am doing toe taps and heel digs and side taps, raising arms as I lift knees—the whole exercise sort of movement that I would never do on my own. And by the end of each session I definitely know I have been working out.
On alternate days I follow a 20-minute chair yoga session that stretches all those places I don't like to stretch. Again, my guide is a tape of a young woman who leads me through the gentle twists and postures. I must admit this is the best form of yoga for me. In an actual yoga class some competitive demon rises from my reptilian brain and pushes me dangerously beyond my limits. That doesn't happen in my class of one.
So here I am, moving every day, vigorously or gently. I no longer feel guilty if I don't want to face the winter weather for an outside walk. I have said "yes!" and embraced something new.
Musings blog: http://www.scenesfromthejourney.blogspot.com
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