Up until recently, I had a wildly stressful job from which I would go home mentally, physically, and spiritually exhausted, only to wake up at 2:00 a.m. worrying about the approaching day. Exercise fell by the wayside; I didn't totally abandon healthier eating, but the "comfort food" was sneaking back in more and more.
A few weeks ago, I managed to get myself back on the exercise bike. Don't know where the energy came from--maybe self-preservation was stronger than self-pity?
I could feel the improvement in my knees almost immediately, along with an energy boost and a better mental state the longer I stayed with it. (Slept better, too.)
ANYHOW!
Three weeks ago, I got a call offering me a job for which I'd applied in another department of the university, very different from what I've been doing. Plenty of work, but WAAAAAY less stressful. I accepted. I started this past Monday, and I think it's a very good choice for me. Definite attitude of gratitude!
Here's the neat part: I'd been back riding the bike, right? Knees all limbered up, feeling better, etc. Well, getting to the new job involves not only a trek across a big parking lot, but also going up 24 steep stairsteps twice a day if I don't go out at lunchtime, four times a day if I do go out. This would have been sheer h*ll if I hadn't gone back to "biking".
But it gets better!
They're doing renovations in the building and have ripped out all the restrooms except one that involves walking 250 steps one way (yes, I counted 'em, I'm a pitiful case) plus a flight of stairs to get to. I drink LOTS of water, so I'm making that trek at least 4 times a day.
Talk about great built-in opportunities for exercise! (I may grinch a bit in the late afternoon, but still...) And how lucky was I to *finally* get back on the bike in advance! Yeah, somebody up there likes me, all right. But, better still, *I* like me, and that means doing what it takes for me to be healthy.
Somebody Up There Likes Me!
Congrats!
congrats on the new job! And taking the new exercise opportunities!
