Autumn Melancholy
By
October 6, 2015
Jennifer
Complete as many rounds as possible in 26 minutes of:
10 Pull-ups
15 Kettlebell swings (24/16 kg)
20 box jumps (24/20)
As I write this, it is Sunday afternoon. The clouds are beginning to role in and thoughts of the upcoming week are intruding into my mostly relaxed weekend. I woke this morning to a still mostly dark sky. When I checked the time, it was close to 7 AM. At first delighted about a great night's sleep, it was interrupted by a feeling of resignation as I acknowledged that autumn is fully upon us and the daylight is diminishing by the day. This is always a difficult seasonal transition for me; not because I don't appreciate the spectacular weather or display of color by the trees, but more because I am sad to say goodbye to the dog days of summer. I love the early sunrises and late sunsets, the sounds of birds and wildlife, the relaxed pace of the day. Yes, I know that autumn offers an equal bounty of awesomeness, but I can never escape this seasonal transition without a mild bout of Seasonal Affective Disorder.
Whether you relate to this or not, I thought I would share a couple of weapons in my arsenal for combatting seasonal funk. The first and most obvious is to just get outside and embrace all that the season has to offer. A hike or bike ride through the fall colors or even just sitting outside and taking in the fall air. Immersing myself in what makes this season special is an incredibly powerful remedy to my reluctance. This rarely fails to bring me to a place of gratitude. It is as simple as recognizing a few of the things in my life that make me happy....the beauty of the place I live, the joy that my work brings me, the smiles of my children, the partnership with my spouse, my health that allows me to do so many things. Just taking my focus off the things that cause me anxiety and redirecting toward a perspective of gratitude can cause a fundamental shift in my outlook on the world. It's truly amazing.
Still, some days it is a struggle to do those things. I would rather complain than take action. Knowing what to do to feel better is somehow not enough to initiate action. I've come to believe that sometimes I need those down days to help the great days maintain their shimmer. Sooner or later, the good guys in my head shout louder than the pity party and off I go. Just like working out, those first few tentative steps are empowering and soon I'm back on the upswing.
How does this relate to CrossFit? Your guess is as good as mine. But if you read this far, maybe there was a little nugget in there for you somewhere. I have found through the years that CrossFitters are generally not big on the whine and complain scale. We are action-oriented people that tackle things head on. Still, we all have ups and downs. Find your way out of the downs with whatever tools work for you. And if you haven't figured it out yet, give mine a try. Get outside this week and immerse yourself in what fall in Durango is all about. I'll see you out there!
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