How to run away from your problems 💌
✨ Issue #61 ✨
On Monday I woke up in a bad mood, the kind that follows you around like a shadow. It wasn’t until we were making dinner that I realized the day marked the beginning of our second month of social distancing. Four weeks were already behind me - four weeks of working from home, of trying to create new routines, of pretending that everything is fine and this is all perfectly normal. Overall I’m handling this whole thing pretty well, mostly because I'm incredibly luck. Work is very busy, my husband is still going to school full time, our dog has never been happier. I live in a safe and walkable neighborhood, and the weather has been beautiful. And yet: month two. Week five. As of tomorrow, week six. It’s a lot, and it caught up with me.
And so, perhaps in response to those feelings of anger and helplessness and fear, I started running again. I used to run all the time, including a yearly half marathon, but last summer I sprained my ankle pretty badly and haven’t been able to run since. Looking back, that experience was a sort of warm up to this one - something I loved was no longer available to me, and I didn’t know when or if I would get it back.
But these last few weeks, my ankle has felt stronger, more flexible. During my weird little at-home workouts, I found myself jumping and running in place without really thinking about it. My ankle didn’t feel normal, exactly, but it felt better enough. I decided to go for a run - one mile, just to see how it felt. Just to see if I could.
I ran the whole mile. A few days later, I ran a little further, then a little further. Yesterday, I ran two miles, and it felt amazing. When I run now, my legs feel strange, a bit unfamiliar. My gait is different, because my ankle will never be the same. I’m running with a new body and we’re getting to know each other, one mile at a time. For the rest of my life, running will be different than it was. And even though I’m not going as far or as fast as I used to, I appreciate it more than I ever did before.
As we enter week six I’m holding on to that feeling. One step in front of the other, until we’re running - or something like it - again. 💛
Snack of the Week
In an effort to use up every last bit of food in my refrigerator and waste absolutely nothing (this is a PANDEMIC), I made this lunch. Toasted sprouted sourdough bread from the back of the freezer. A teeny tiny avocado that had maybe one day left before it became unsalvageable. A hunk of feta. A generous sprinkling of Everything But the Bagel seasoning. And, y'all - it was a perfect combination! I love when things work out.
Relatable Reads
I Dread Making Dinner Every Night, But It’s Also the One Thing I Look Forward to Each Day, Bon Appétit. The title says it all, but the article is pretty great, too. 🍽
On Coronavirus Lockdown? Look for Meaning, Not Happiness, New York Times. "When people search for meaning, though, they often do not feel happy. The things that make our lives meaningful, like volunteering or working, are stressful and require effort. But months later, the meaning seekers not only reported fewer negative moods but also felt more 'enriched,' 'inspired' and 'part of something greater than myself.'" Wow, this article is extremely relatable and very much what I needed to read right now. Maybe you need it, too? ⛅️
The Social Media Shame Machine Is In Overdrive Right Now, BuzzFeed News. "We’re confronted with new information every day about the virus and how it works, about the economy and how it’s tanking, about our government and how it’s failing to get help to those who need it most." Here's to a little more empathy, and a little less judgement. 😷
We Need to Stop Trying to Replicate the Life We Had, The Atlantic. This article perfectly explains why I find virtual happy hours so frustrating!!! In related news: who wants to have a PowerPoint party? 🥂
A Tiny Challenge
In an effort to get out of my own head, I've been trying to do one random act of kindness a day. This is harder than it sounds, especially during social distancing! This week, do something kind and then tell me about it, because I need new ideas.
See you next Sunday! 💌
Thanks to Kate Q. for supporting So Relatable last week,
and for always enthusiastically supporting my weird little projects!
Want to treat me to a ☕️ to help fuel this newsletter?
Venmo: @Christine-Hennessey or PayPal Me.
Can't afford a contribution? Forwarding to a friend is also appreciated!
